


Just A Small Town Girl

by swinggal138



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Dating, Developing Relationship, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Spies & Secret Agents, Tesseract
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 07:26:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 22,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1028904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swinggal138/pseuds/swinggal138
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After losing her job, small town girl Jaime Juniper accepts a job at S.H.I.E.L.D. after meeting agent Clint Barton. Together, the two of them set up their best friends, Agent Coulson and Amelia Aaronson, while working on their own relationship problems. But chaos ensues with the Tesseract gets involved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For the sake of this story, Pepper Potts and Tony Stark are not dating. She is only his assistant.

Jaime Juniper sat at the bar, nursing her third gin and tonic. As she sipped, she gazed off into nowhere, pondering her next step. She had to admit that she wasn’t shocked her boss had fired her that day; he was notorious for doing that to his employees without warning or reason. Still, she was surprised he chose the morning she had come in early to do extra work for him. Jamie did have some money saved up and it should last her a few months. The real question was whether or not she should stay in New York. A small-town farm girl, Jaime had moved to the big city to live with her college sweetheart. She was miserable in her job but seeing Justin every day had made it all seem worth it. But about a month ago, Jaime had walked in on him in bed with not one...not two...but three girls. Needless to say, she dumped him on the spot and moved out. After that, work had become a living hell, but at least it paid the bills; now she didn’t even have that. What did she have?  
She did have her best friend, Amelia Aaronson. Jaime met Amelia the first week she moved to New York at a book fair and the connection was instant; their relationship was living proof that it wasn’t truly years that mattered when it came to friendship. Amelia had been there for Jaime at her lowest points, taking her out for drinks when her boss became too much to handle and letting her stay on the couch while she looked for a new place to live.  
Now, Jaime was torn between staying with Amelia in the big city or returning to her quiet farm life with her parents. She had ordered another drink and was considering the possible implications of each decision when a voice interrupted her reveries,  
“Either you had a really rough day or you are part camel who subsists on gin and tonics.”  
Turning to her left, Jaime saw a guy with short, brown, spiky hair and turquoise eyes wearing a tight, dark grey, t-shirt that clung perfectly to the muscles of his amazing, toned, arms. Regaining her composure after the shock of seeing such an attractive guy standing next to her, Jaime finally replied,  
“I beg your pardon?”  
“I’m sorry. That was a really cheesy line. All I meant was it looks like you are having a hard day. You wanna talk about it?”  
“With a complete stranger?”  
Sitting down on the stool next to her, the guy extended his hand and said,  
“Hi. My name is Clint Barton. I shoot a bow and arrow for a living. My favorite food is Chinese. My favorite color is red. And I have a secret weakness for the movie Sleepless in Seattle. There, we are no longer complete strangers.”  
Jaime shook his hand and laughed in spite of herself; she had to admit this guy was both entertaining and adorable.  
“See, I already got you to laugh; I can’t be that horrible of a guy. Also, you are breathtaking when you smile.”  
Jaime blushed and smiled again, amazed that a person she had just met could give her the best compliment she had ever received. Deciding that this guy just might be worth getting to know, she finally said,  
“I’m Jaime Juniper. My favorite food is Mexican. My favorite color is green. I have an embarrassing obsession with the Star Wars trilogy. And I got fired from a job I absolutely hated today.”  
“Well, Jaime Juniper. First of all, there is absolutely nothing embarrassing about loving Star Wars; in fact, I think that is the sexiest quality in a girl. Secondly, I am sorry to hear you got fired but, in all fairness, if you hated the job, I say ‘good riddance’ and now you are able to pursue a dream that would make you happy, which I think is a cause for celebration.”   
Clint then ordered them each a shot and got a drink for himself, whiskey and coke. After they took the shots and Clint was happily sipping on his drink, he asked,  
“So, what is you want to do now? What job would make you ecstatically happy?”  
Jaime thought for a moment and realized she didn’t actually have an answer for this. Her original plan had been to marry Justin and become a homemaker and eventual stay-at-home mom. Now, that dream was out the door and she realized she had no plan for her life whatsoever.   
“I honestly have no idea.”  
“Okay, fair. That was a pretty deep question admittedly. What kind of work have you enjoyed doing so far?”  
“Well, I really like doing administrative work actually. I seem to work best when I have busy work to do and can keep to myself.”  
“Huh..”  
“What’s huh?”  
“Just that I was thinking I might know of a job for you.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah, but don’t get your hopes up just yet. I need to talk to some people first.”  
“Okay. Thank you. I really appreciate that.”  
“You’re welcome.”  
“You know, you’re being really nice to some random girl you just met.”  
“Well, I can never resist the urge to rescue a damsel in distress,” Clint replied with a snarky grin.   
And with that he downed the rest of his drink and paid both of their tabs. After exchanging numbers, Clint vanished off into the night and Jaime hailed a taxi to take her back to her apartment. On the ride over, she thought about Clint and how sweet he had been to her; she wondered if she would ever see him again.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Jaime was lounging on her couch, sipping coffee and watching some documentary on the history of Ferrari; she had no idea what to do with her day now that she had no job. As she was pouring a second cup of coffee, her phone went off; the caller ID read Clint Barton.  
“Hello?”  
“Hey, it’s Clint. Remember that possible job I talked about?”  
“Yeah...”  
“Well, how good are you at keeping secrets?”  
“Fort Knox...why?”  
“In two minutes, I am going to text you an address. Meet me at that address in half an hour.”  
“Okay...you know, I feel like I should be concerned.”  
“Hey, would a guy who likes Sleepless in Seattle lead you astray? Just trust me.”  
“Alright. I will see you there.”  
Thirty minutes later, Jaime was standing on a tarmac, dressed in her best grey suit, waiting for Clint to arrive. Soon, he appeared, hugging her in greeting, and escorting her onto a jet plane. Jaime took in the plane and the man piloting it, wondering what exactly she was getting herself into. Moments later, the plane was landing on what appeared to be a gigantic aircraft hovering above the city. Clint took her inside, leading her into a large office where a man sat behind a desk. He wore a black suit with a light blue shirt underneath; his brown hair was perfectly styled and his blue eyes gleamed with excitement. Standing, he introduced himself,  
“You must be Jaime Juniper; Clint has told me about you. I’m Agent Phil Coulson and welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D.”  
“Um...thank you?”  
“You look confused.”  
“Well...I am. I have to admit I have no idea what is going on or even where I am.”  
Coulson looked at her for a minute before directing his gaze to Clint who was standing behind her.   
“Agent Barton?”  
“Yes sir.”  
“Did you explain anything to Miss Juniper before bringing her here?”  
“Um, no I did not sir. I was under the impression that you wanted to fill her in on the details upon meeting her.”  
“I assumed you would at least fill her in on where she was going.”  
“My apologies sir.”  
“Well, I will just explain it all to her now. You may go, Agent Barton.”  
Clint nodded and exited out the door, sending one more charming smile back in Jaime’s direction. Agent Coulson just shook his head and addressed Jaime again,  
“I apologize for his behavior. He tends to lose perspective around pretty girls. Anyway, the reason we brought you here is to offer you a job.”  
“A job?”  
“Yes. I promise you will be paid well and we provide a full benefits package.”  
“That sounds wonderful. So, where is here exactly?”  
“You are at one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.”  
“And what is that exactly?”  
“S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. We are a highly-classified government agency that works to protect the people of the United States from, shall we say, things of unusual or extraordinary origin.”  
“Okay...”  
“It will make more sense once you have worked here awhile.”  
“Right. And what kind of work will I be doing exactly? I mean, I don’t really have what it takes to do the whole James Bond thing.”  
“Administrative work. Your job will be maintaining files on all our field agents and superhumans, especially those involved in the Avengers Initiative.”  
“Avengers Initiative? Superhumans?”  
“Yes. Do you remember the big attack on New York not too long ago?”  
“Yeah, I think that happened shortly before I moved here.”  
“Well, we were the people behind stopping that.”  
“Awesome. Okay. So, this job is a sure thing? You don’t, like, have to do any background checks or anything on me? Get me government clearance?”  
“Already completed. The job is yours if you want it.”  
“Yes. Definitely. Thank you so much.”  
“You’re welcome. Agent Barton gave you the highest recommendations and I trust him. He will also be the one training you, starting tomorrow. Oh, and although I feel this goes without saying, you can’t really talk to anyone about who you work for, understood?”  
“Understood. Again, thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”  
“Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D. Miss Juniper.”  
Coulson then escorted her out of his office where she met up with Clint again. He led her back to the plane and took her back to her apartment, promising to pick her up the next morning promptly at seven. After saying goodbye to the attractive archer, Jaime automatically grabbed her phone and dialed her best friend’s number,  
“Amelia, what are you doing tonight?”  
“Nothing, why?”  
“We need a girls night. I have big news.”  
“Done. I’ll grab the wine and meet you at your place in half an hour.”  
“See you then.”  
Several hours and two bottles of wine later, Amelia and Jaime sat in the living room, just finishing off the last of the wine. Jaime had told Amelia about her new job, leaving out the part about it being for a secret government agency and settling instead for major corporation with various business ventures. She also told Amelia about Clint and how sweet he had been to her in the bar.  
“He sounds like a great guy. And that is awesome how quickly he got you a job.”  
“Yeah, I never imagined things would happen so fast.”  
“So, do you like him?”  
“What?”  
“Do you like him? Want to date him?”  
“I don’t know. I mean, the whole thing with Justin has left me kind of shaken. Plus, we work together so that might be kind of weird.”  
“Do you work in the same department?”  
“Not exactly. I’m in administrative work and he’s in, um, sales.”  
“So what’s the problem?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“Well, he sounds awesome. I am already rooting for you two.”  
Amelia and Jaime talked for a few more hours before Jaime decided she should probably get to bed. She was already nervous about starting a new job the next day and seven was far earlier than she was used to getting up. Jaime didn’t really do well with mornings; hopefully the headquarters had a coffee maker.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning dawned bright and early; Jaime put on a black pencil skirt and a silky, green blouse. After straightening her short red hair and putting a final touch on her makeup, she went into the kitchen and made some coffee, pouring it into a to-go cup and sipping on it as she waited for Clint to arrive. At exactly seven, Agent Barton knocked on her door, a huge smile on his face,  
“Good morning sunshine! You look nice for your first day.”  
“Thanks. You’re a morning person, aren’t you?”  
“You kind of have to be with a job like mine. Anyway, you ready to go?”  
Jaime nodded and they headed out, taking the car, then the jet, just like the day before. Clint showed her to an office containing a computer, a phone, tons of filing cabinets, and a coffee maker.  
“I know it’s kind of plain but feel free to add personal touches if you want.”  
“Okay. Thanks.”  
Clint spent the remainder of the morning teaching her how the computer programs worked and exactly what she would be doing with the files. Although she was working for a huge government agency, the basics of administrative work were relatively the same and she caught on quickly. By late afternoon, Jaime felt she had gotten the hang of it and Clint was just about to leave when suddenly a head appeared around the corner,  
“Hey Legolas, Director Fury wants to see you.”  
Jaime just stared at the man, taking in his dark hair, brown eyes, and Black Sabbath t-shirt. Babbling like an idiot, she stammered out,  
“You’re...you’re Tony Stark!”  
“You know, I never get tired of people saying my name. Who’s the new girl?”  
“Tony, this is Jaime. She’s going to be working with the administrative side of stuff.”  
Tony walked over and shook her hand,  
“Nice to meet you. Tony Stark, but you already knew that. Just so you know, I have a thing for secretaries.”  
“She’s not a secretary, Tony.”  
“Receptionist, office assistant, whatever. I think it’s the pencil skirts. Anyway, come on, Robin Hood, let’s go.”  
The two men walked off down the hall, leaving Jaime to get more acquainted with her office. She made a pot of coffee and sat down at her desk, working diligently for the remainder of the afternoon. That evening, as she was making dinner in her apartment, she reflected on the day. It had been crazy and pretty overwhelming, especially with meeting Tony Stark, but she was already in love with the job and the people there; she couldn’t wait to continue her work.


	4. Chapter 4

The next few weeks passed by in a blur and Jaime quickly adapted to life at S.H.I.E.L.D., still choosing to “commute” every morning so as not to arouse Amelia’s suspicions. She really enjoyed the solitude her office provided her and looked forward to work every day. Quite often, Clint would come visit her, sitting on the edge of her desk while she worked, asking questions about her and getting to know her better. It had been a long time since Jaime had a close guy friend and it was great having someone to talk to at such a big agency. Agent Coulson had also been quite welcoming to her, always willing to answer any questions she had and having the utmost patience with her when she made a mistake.  
One day, Jaime was at her desk, working on making a spreadsheet categorizing the different superhuman abilities of the various agents, when Clint poked his head around the corner.  
“Hey, worker bee, ready for lunch?” he asked, producing two sandwiches and two cans of soda.  
“I could use a break. Thanks.”  
He tossed her a sandwich and sat down on the edge of her desk. While they ate, they started talking. Clint asked her,  
“So, what is one completely random thing you have always wanted to do?”  
Jaime finished her bite and took a sip of her soda, pondering her answer before replying,  
“Well, I know this is completely weird, but I have always wanted to play matchmaker to someone. You know, set up one of my friends with another one of my friends. Something like that?”   
“You want to be a dating service?”  
“No! I just think it would be fun to say that I was responsible for a couple getting together. Come on, you don’t think that sounds cool?”  
“I guess it would be fun to take the credit for something like that. I don’t have many single friends to set up though. Actually, only one truly springs to mind.”  
“Same. I can only think of one single girl in my life.”  
Then Clint and Jaime looked at each other, a mischievous smirk on both their faces,  
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Jaime said.  
“It’s worth a shot,” Clint replied, “I mean, the worst that can happen is they just don’t get along. Then they never have to see each other again.”  
“True. Okay, this Friday night, I will bring my single girlfriend. You bring your single guy friend. And we set them up. Heck, we can even make it like a double date so it is less awkward for them.”  
“You have great plans, worker bee. How about we meet at seven at that same bar I first met you at?”  
“Deal. Seven it is.”  
The two of them finished their lunch then Clint left Jaime to her work. As she continued her spreadsheet, she thought about how she would present this idea to Amelia. Her best friend had a very particular taste in men and she didn’t know what kind of guy Clint would be bringing. However, if she presented it as she was looking for an excuse to have a date with Clint, Amelia would agree right away. Not that she was actually interested in him but she could pretend for a night; yes, this plan just might work.


	5. Chapter 5

That Friday, Amelia was getting ready at Jaime’s place. She was putting the finishing touches on her lipstick when she turned to Jaime,  
“I can’t believe you talked me into a double date. Do you even know the guy I am meeting?”  
“Well...not exactly. He is a friend of Clint’s. But hey, Clint is a great guy so I am sure his friend is awesome.”  
“If you say so. You know, you are lucky you are my best friend; you are the only person I would do this for.”  
“I know and I love you for it.”  
Amelia turned from her position at the mirror and spun around for Jaime,  
“So, how do I look?”  
“Amazing,” Jaime replied, taking in the white blouse, black pencil skirt, and pink cardigan her friend was wearing. Amelia took a moment to look over Jaime’s outfit, which consisted of tight, dark blue jeans, a low-cut green top, and black, high-heeled boots.  
“You are going to knock Clint’s socks off in that outfit.”  
“Oh, right, thanks. Yeah, I, uh, hope he likes it,” Jaime said, smiling, “You ready to go?”  
The girls went outside and hailed a cab, taking it to the little bar where Clint had changed Jaime’s life only a few short weeks before. They got out and went inside as Jaime kept her eye out for Clint; when she spotted him, she couldn’t believe who was sitting next to him. The girls sat down and Jaime made introductions,  
“Clint, this is my best friend, Amelia. Amelia, this is Clint.”  
Clint shook Amelia’s hand before introducing the man next to him,  
“Amelia, this is Phil Coulson.”  
The two shook hands as they awkwardly stared at each other, both of them trying to hide the shy smiles on their face. After a bit of seat maneuvering, Coulson and Amelia were sitting on one side of the table and Clint and Jaime were sitting on the other side.  
“Well,” Jaime started, “You two get to know each other while Clint and I grab drinks. Clint, come on.”  
Clint followed behind, shooting a glance back at the two people behind him who were trying to make awkward conversation. Jaime ordered them all drinks once they got to the bar then turned to Clint,  
“Coulson...your single friend is Coulson? You don’t think it’s a little weird to set up your boss?”  
“Well, you didn’t tell me you were bringing Amelia!”  
“What’s wrong with Amelia?!”  
“Nothing! That’s the point; she is way too good for Coulson.”  
Jaime slapped him on the arm.  
“Ow, what was that for?”  
“That’s not a very nice thing to say.”  
“Well, it’s true.”  
The drinks arrived and Clint paid the bartender as they grabbed them and headed back to the table. The two “couples” sat talking for several hours. Amelia told Phil about her work as a food critic and he told her about his “management position” and how Clint worked for him. Jaime could see right away that her best friend was smitten with Coulson. However, she was less capable of reading his emotions towards her and made a mental note to ask Clint about it on Monday. Speaking of Clint, he was being a wonderful “date” and Jaime couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun with a guy. As it got later, conversation died down and the four of them decided it was probably best to head home. Coulson and Amelia politely exchanged numbers while Clint gave Jaime a huge hug goodbye, wrapping his amazing arms around her tightly and planting a quick kiss on her cheek.  
“See you Monday!” he said, as he and Coulson jumped into a cab.  
“See you Monday,” she replied, hailing a cab of her own.  
When she and Amelia got back to her apartment, they popped in a movie, poured once last round of drinks, and sat down to discuss the evening.  
“So...” Jaime prodded, “what did you think of Phil?”  
“He was nice.”  
“Just nice?”  
“Okay, he was great. I really like him. He’s sweet, polite, shy, has a good job, and looks fantastic in a suit. He is definitely my type.”  
“I am glad you like him.”  
“Do you really work for him?”  
“Not really. I mean, he isn’t exactly my manager. But yes, I do work in the same...location...as him.”  
“That’s awesome. So, what about you and Clint? He is clearly crazy about you.”  
“Wait...what?”  
“Are you telling me you really didn’t notice?”  
“No.”  
“Oh come on, he was flirting with you hardcore. The way he teases you, the way he looks at you...the way he smiles at you. He is so into you.”  
“Huh...I guess I hadn’t noticed those things.”  
“Well, if you ask me, he is definitely going to ask you out again.”   
Jaime just smiled at her best friend, not really sure how to reply; she opted to just take a drink of her rum and coke instead. Conversation died down eventually and the girls turned their attention to the movie. After awhile, Jaime made up the couch for Amelia and went to bed herself. In the morning, after a breakfast of bacon and hash browns and coffee, Amelia headed home to get ready for the day while Jaime sat down with a book; however, her focus was not on the story but rather on what Amelia had said about Clint. Is it possible he wasn’t putting on an act on Friday? Was he really into her? She had never thought about him like that but now the thought seemed to consume her mind; Monday would be a very interesting day at work for sure.


	6. Chapter 6

Monday, however, was not as interesting as Jaime expected it to be. In fact, Jaime realized around two in the afternoon that she hadn’t seen Clint all day, or Coulson , for that matter. Jaime was all caught up on her work and decided to go in search of them. After wandering for awhile, she finally found them both in the aircraft hangar, standing around a red 1960 Corvette; Coulson was glaring at it in frustration.  
“Wow! Nice car!” Jaime said, approaching the beautiful machine.  
“Don’t touch Lola,” Coulson said.   
“I wasn’t going to? What year is she? 1960 right?”   
Clint looked at her with one eyebrow raised but didn’t say anything as Coulson replied,  
“Yeah. Great year. Great car. But she seems to be having some trouble. I am getting horrible gas mileage lately and the transmission is acting up.”  
“Do you ever smell gas?”  
“Yeah, I do actually.”  
“I think I know what your problem is. Get her on the jack and I am going to go change. Be back in two minutes.”  
They looked at her skeptically.  
“Just trust me, okay?”  
Shrugging, they got the jack and lifted Lola. Jaime returned moments later wearing a grungy t-shirt and athletic shorts.  
“Where did you get those?” Clint asked.  
“I brought them with me; I was planning on using the gym after work today but it works for this too.”   
Jaime laid down on the mechanic’s creeper and wheeled herself under the car. After a few moments of examination, she reappeared, covered in grease and dirt. Grabbing a rag, she began to clean herself off a bit as she turned to Coulson,  
“Just what I thought. The filler hose that leads to your gas tank is leaking, probably because it wasn’t sealed right. It is a common problem in the 1960s model. If your transmission is acting up, it’s possible that the filler hose leading to that is doing the same thing. I know how to fix it if you want me to.”  
Clint and Coulson didn’t say a word, both just standing there with their mouths hanging open.  
“What?” Jaime asked.  
“How in the world do you know so much about cars?” Clint asked.  
“I grew up in a small town and my dad was a part-time mechanic when he wasn’t running the farm. I know a lot about engines. Corvettes are a personal favorite of mine though.”  
“That’s fantastic,” Coulson finally managed to get out, “Agent Barton, could I speak with you in my office for a moment? Miss Juniper, you wait right here.”  
“Okay?”  
The two amazed men disappeared for awhile, apparently talking something over. Soon, Clint came back into the hangar, beaming from ear to ear.  
“Okay, it concerns me that you came from Coulson’s office with that expression on your face.”  
Clint smacked her playfully on the arm,  
“Shut up, worker bee, we were talking about you.”  
“Me? What about me?”  
“We think you are far too talented to be doing filing. So, we talked it over and you are going to join our technicians team and work on maintaining the vehicles. And, eventually, we actually want you in the field as a pilot. If you want to, that is.”  
“Are you serious?!”  
“Dead serious. You interested?”  
“Absolutely!”  
“Great! And, that means you and I will now be working together pretty much all the time since I will be the one teaching you how to fly,” he said with a huge grin on his face, “I am so excited!”   
And with that, he gave her a quick, friendly, kiss on the lips and walked happily out of the hangar, leaving Jaime confused yet ecstatic. There were so many emotions coursing through her at the moment and she couldn’t quite sort them all out yet; she decided the gym was the best place to work through them so she headed off for a good, long workout.


	7. Chapter 7

That weekend, Amelia and Jaime were in Jaime’s apartment, drinking whiskey sours and talking about their weeks while some science fiction show droned on in the background.  
“So,” Jaime began, “has Coulson called you to set up a date yet?”  
“No, he hasn’t,” Amelia replied, a hint of sorrow in her voice, “I don’t think he liked me.”  
“That can’t be it. You are incredible. There has to be an explanation.”  
“I am probably not his type. Guys like that don’t usually go for girls like me.”  
“No, this is not acceptable. I know there has to be a reason.”  
Amelia just shook her head, knowing Jaime wouldn’t be satisfied until she had an actual answer.   
“So, any Clint updates?”   
“Not really. I mean, technically he kissed me but it was just a friendly kiss out of excitement. It wasn’t actually serious.”  
“I don’t get it. I know he is crazy about you but he hasn’t made a move. Do you really like him?”  
“I do actually. I mean, I never saw him that way at first. But now...now that you mentioned he might like me...it’s like it changed everything. Now, I am a bit crazy about him but have entered that phase where I start doubting everything and feel like I am making everything up in my head.”  
“I don’t think you are. I saw the way he looked at you; I would kill for a guy to look at me like that. There has to be a reason.”  
“Men. What are we going to do about them?”  
The two best friends laughed as Jaime got up to pour them more drinks. The girls continued their night in, eventually parting ways and considering what the other had said.   
The following Monday, around lunchtime, Jaime made her way over to Coulson’s office. She knocked politely on the door and entered when she heard him tell her to come in.  
“What can I do for you miss Juniper?”  
“Well, I was just curious as to why you haven’t called Amelia to set up another date?”  
“I’m sorry?”  
“I mean, she is an amazing girl and she really liked you. Weren’t you just the least bit interested?”  
“I don’t really feel comfortable discussing this with one of my employees.”  
“Coulson, we went on a double date; I think that we are far past the just being co-workers line.”  
“Fine. But I still don’t want to talk about it.”  
“So you didn’t like her?”  
Agent Coulson sighed, setting down the cup of coffee that was in his hand, and taking a moment to gather himself.  
“It’s not that I didn’t like her. In fact, I liked her a great amount. But...girls like your friend Amelia don’t belong with guys like me. She is breathtakingly beautiful, intelligent, famous. Girls like that were the ones that rejected guys like me in high school.”  
“But this isn’t high school anymore. And I am telling you that Amelia isn’t like that. She is crazy about you. Seriously. I am her best friend and I know these things. You should ask her out.”  
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because, she might like me at first, but eventually she will see me for who I really am and realize she can do better. No. Your friend Amelia is wonderful but far out of my league. That is the end of this discussion and I would take kindly to you no longer getting involved in my personal affairs. Have a good day, miss Juniper.”  
Picking up his sandwich, Coulson left Jaime with no choice but to quietly leave his office. However, she was the most stubborn person she knew and refused to let the issue drop. If Agent Coulson wasn’t going to ask Amelia out, Amelia would just have to do the asking.


	8. Chapter 8

Later that afternoon, Jaime was in her office, working on some of the files. Although her role at S.H.I.E.L.D. was changing, it was a slow process. The mechanics did call her when they needed her and she was slowly learning about the different vehicles used by the agency; the pilot training would come later. Just as she was about to start another pot of coffee, Clint appeared at the door, wearing his uniform of a black vest and pants.  
“Hey, worker bee, put down the coffee pot and let’s go.”  
“Where are we going?”  
“Well, I thought I’d take you to dinner...back to my place...”  
Jaime just looked at him with a raised eyebrow, trying to determine exactly what he was doing.  
“I’m kidding,” he continued, “I’m taking you up in the Quinjet today. Eventually you’ll be learning how to fly it but I thought you should go for a ride in it first.”  
Her face lit up as she sat down the coffee pot, joining Clint at the door. His arm came around her shoulders as he began to excitedly talk about the Quinjet; Jaime had never met a man who sent her as many mixed signals as this guy did.  
Hours later, Clint and Jaime were back on the Helicarrier. The ride had been incredible and Jaime was still in awe that she would actually be piloting it someday. Everything still seemed so unreal to her but she was happier than she had ever been. After putting away their gear, Jaime started heading back to her office to do some more work. But before she could get very far, Clint had grabbed her wrist and was dragging her down the hallway,  
“Nope, not today, worker bee. You are taking a break and hanging out with me.”  
“Okay...where are you taking me?”  
“The helicarrier has a theater type thing and you and I are going to watch a movie.”  
Jaime tried to protest but she knew it was useless; and perhaps this would be when Clint finally made a move. Moments later, they were settled on a couch in the theater. Clint pressed play and a movie started.  
“What are we watching?”  
“Just be patient.”  
Soon, the Star Wars main theme began playing and Jaime lit up as she watched the white words scroll through the black of space. She glanced over at Clint who was beaming from ear to ear as he watched her delight; she was impressed he remembered her obsession with this movie. Smiling, Jaime settled against the arm of the couch, watching the movie until she felt Clint staring at her from the other end of the sofa,  
“What are you looking at?” she asked, “The movie is that direction.”  
“Why are you way over there? I promise I don’t bite...well...”  
Jaime gave him a weird look and didn’t make any motion to move,  
“I’m kidding about the biting. Sort of. But, come on, don’t tell me you don’t like cuddling during movies.”  
Finally conceding, Jaime scooted over to the other side of the couch and Clint immediately put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, his fingers tracing up and down her arms. She smiled as she leaned into his muscular chest; apparently Clint did like her after all.  
“Jaime, I am so glad I met you in that bar and that you agreed to work here; you are the best bro ever!”  
The smile on Jaime’s face vanished pretty quickly. Bro? She was a bro?  
“And do you cuddle with all your bros?” she asked, looking up at Clint who was smiling down at her.  
“Only the attractive ones,” he said with a grin, “Now...shh...Han is about to shoot first.”  
Jaime settled back down against his chest, completely confused and admittedly disappointed. What in the world was going on with him? Deciding not to think about it, she focused her attention back on the movie; nothing cheered her up more than Star Wars.  
About halfway through the movie, Tony Stark wandered in, looking at Clint and Jaime on the couch. He joined them, placing his legs across Jaime’s lap; she just stared down at them and shook her head at him.   
“What are we watching?” he said, as Darth Vader appears on screen.  
“Really Tony?” Jaime asked, “What does it look like?”  
“Oh right...this is that Star Trek thing,”  
“Star Wars!” Clint and Jaime said in unison, shushing him as they continued watching the movie. When it was over, Jaime got up and put in the second one, content to keep watching her favorite films and procrastinate her work a bit more. Clint got up and stretched,   
“Well, I have a meeting with Coulson in about ten minutes but I will see you around, worker bee. I still have much to teach you.”  
Once he had left, Tony flipped himself around, laying his head in Jaime’s lap,  
“You know, if you just can’t resist the urge to run your fingers in my hair, I wouldn’t blame you...or stop you,” he said, looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.  
“I’m not a pillow you know,” she replied, as he just continued to stare at her, “oh fine...”  
Jaime reached her hand down, playing with Tony’s hair; content, he turned his attention back to the screen.  
“So, what’s going on with you and Cupid? You two looked pretty cozy on the couch when I walked in.”  
“I have no idea. Ask him,” she said snippily.  
“You know, I’m sensing some hostility in this area.”  
“What an astute observation.”  
“Do you like him?”  
“Yeah, I do. But he seems to not share those feelings.”  
“I wouldn’t be so sure on that. Does he randomly express affection?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Does he call you some cute nickname that really isn’t that cute?”  
“He calls me ‘worker bee’ a lot I guess.”  
“And did he bro-zone you in a situation that otherwise could be construed as him being interested in you?”  
“He did! When we were cuddling a little while ago actually.”  
“Yeah, he’s crazy about you.”  
“You’re kidding me.”  
“No. See. He has this weird thing about not wanting to date people he works with; bad experience one time I guess. But he inevitably always falls for the girl he spends a lot of time with. So, in an attempt not to like her, he treats her like he would a guy friend, effectively killing her interest in him and allowing him to get over her.”  
“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”  
“Yeah, well. He has been doing it for years.”  
“So, I should just move on? Forget about the whole thing?”  
“Normally, I would say yes. However, I kind of like you two together; I’m just sentimental like that. So I am going to help you.”  
“Help me? Help me how?”  
“Well, Clint, although he would never admit it, is the jealous type. If he saw you with another guy that you worked with, I guarantee he would cave and finally make a move.”  
“So, let me guess, you’re going to be that guy?”  
“Yes. It will especially bother him if you are with me. He and I do not always see eye-to-eye on things; it’s a love-hate relationship. Anyway, I am going to need full commitment on this. Are you in?”  
“Why not?”  
“Alright...so...here’s the plan...”


	9. Chapter 9

That night, Jaime went over to Amelia’s place and told her what Coulson had said about her.  
“He thinks I’m out of his league? But that’s ridiculous!”  
“Well you are but that’s not the point. The point is, he does like you, I think he just needs reassurance that you do actually reciprocate. So, I think you should ask him to hang out.”  
“Like a date?”  
“It doesn’t have to be. Just something that gets you two alone together and gives you a chance to show him how you feel.”  
“You know, he did mention at the bar that he really likes film noir. I bet I could rent a movie and tell him I just want someone to watch it with.”  
“And Clint and I could go do something that night so we have a legitimate excuse not to be here.”  
“So how are things going on the Clint front?”  
“I don’t want to talk about it.”  
“That bad, huh?”  
“Yeah. But we are not the focus right now. You need to get this set up with Coulson; I have no doubt that once you guys spend some time alone, he will get the courage to actually make a move.”  
“I hope you’re right. I’m going to go call him right now.”  
Moments later, Amelia was off the phone and all the details had been worked out; Coulson was hesitant at first but it was hard to say no to a girl he liked so much. Jaime called Clint and told him about the plan as well. He agreed and soon everything was settled. After deciding what to wear for the big Friday night, the girls parted ways, looking forward to the weekend.  
On Friday night, Phil Coulson knocked on Amelia’s door promptly at eight. Knowing that they were just watching a movie, he had decided against the suit and chose to wear one of the very few t-shirts he had along with his only pair of jeans; honestly, he just felt uncomfortable in them though. Amelia opened the door wearing a pink vintage top with roses on it and tight blue jeans. He tried not to openly stare at her as he offered her a smile.  
“Phil,” she said, greeting him, “it’s good to see you again.”  
“It’s good to see you too.”   
She opened the door wider, inviting him in, and he stepped into her apartment, looking around,  
“This is a nice place you have.”  
“Thanks. Would you like something to drink? I have a nice bottle of merlot that I have been dying to share with someone.”  
“A glass of merlot sounds great. Thank you.”  
Phil settled himself on the couch, still a bit uncomfortable around the pretty girl. She poured them each a glass, handed him one, and went to put in the movie.  
“I’m glad you could come over. I really wanted to watch The Big Sleep and Jaime is out doing something with Clint tonight.”  
“The Big Sleep is one of my favorites.”  
“Good. Well, I have never seen it so don’t spoil the ending for me,” she said, beaming at him.  
After turning out the lights, Amelia joined him on the couch, sitting right next to him and leaning into his side as they sipped their wine. Eventually they had finished off the bottle and set their empty glasses down on the floor. Just as she had planned, the wine had an effect and Coulson finally relaxed his position on the couch. Glancing up at him, Amelia laid her head on his shoulder and he hesitantly put his arm around her. She smiled at him and he smiled back before they both returned their attention to the movie. Amelia enjoyed the film and Phil enjoyed watching her reaction to it. As the credits played, Amelia stood up and stretched, turning on the lights and putting the movie away. Coulson also stood from the couch,  
“Well, it’s getting late,” he said, making his way towards the door, “thank you for inviting me. I had a good time.”  
“I had a good time too,” she replied, crossing the living room to join him at the door, “Maybe we can do something again soon?”  
“I’d like that,” he smiled, opening the door.  
Amelia beamed at him again before standing on her toes and kissing him on the cheek.  
“Goodnight Phil,” she said.  
“Goodnight Amelia,” he replied, a bit flustered, then closed the door and hailed a cab, wearing a smile that didn’t go away for the remainder of the night.  
Meanwhile, Clint and Jaime had decided to hit up a local sports’ bar. Although Jaime now had a plan with Tony, she was curious to see how Clint acted that night; maybe she wouldn’t even need the plan. They sat down at the bar and ordered some beers. As they drank, they talked about interests and what they did when they weren’t at work.  
“I actually really like to go bowling,” Jaime told him.  
“What? You know how to have fun?”  
“And just what is that supposed to mean?”  
“Just that you are always working, always being productive.”  
“First of all, you usually only see me AT WORK; hence, yes, I am usually working. Second, I’m having fun now.”  
“Well that’s a relief. And here I was thinking you were having a horrible time with me.”  
“You are ridiculous, you know that?”  
“That is just a theory; it has never been proven. Hey, finish your beer and I’ll teach you how to play pool.”  
“Excuse me, I know how to play pool.”  
“Fine. Then, finish your beer and let’s go play pool. Loser buys the next...let’s say...two rounds.”  
“Deal.”  
For the next few hours, Clint and Jaime played pool and drank, laughing the entire time; Jaime lost. On occasion, she caught Clint sending her a flirty look or a suggestive smile but it was usually followed by a comment about what an awesome friend she was or how cool it was that she drank beer like a guy; it was all very frustrating. By the end of the night, Jaime had come to the conclusion that Tony was probably right about Clint liking her but that he definitely needed a push in the right direction. So next week, she would tell Tony it was time to put the plan in action.


	10. Chapter 10

On Tuesday, Tony entered Jaime’s office around mid-morning.  
“Okay, Clint is on his way, are we clear on the plan?”  
“I think so.”  
“Remember, this is only step one.”  
“How do you know he is going to stop by my office?”  
“Doesn’t he always?”  
Jaime thought about it and realized Tony was right; she had never made the connection that Clint stopped by to see her at almost the same time every morning but now it all made sense.  
“Okay, I think I hear him coming,” Tony said, getting into position.  
Clint came walking down the hallway and turned to enter Jaime’s office but he stopped short at the door, shocked at what he was seeing. Jaime was leaning against the wall by her coffee maker, with Tony Stark’s arm resting above her head as he hovered over her. Unable to look away, Clint heard Jaime say,  
“Mr. Stark, I’m beginning to think you didn’t just come in here to see if I had any coffee left.”  
“You’re right. You caught me,” Tony said, leaning down and pressing his lips against Jaime’s. Clint didn’t know what to do as he watched her return the kiss, wrapping one of her hands behind his neck.  
“I told you...I had a thing...for women...in pencil skirts,” Tony continued between kisses, his other hand moving to her hip.   
“Well...I guess...you did...warn me...”Jaime answered, also between kisses.  
Clint had seen more than enough and he turned back down the hallway, pushing down a sick feeling in his stomach. It was true he had a rule about dating co-workers and that he had been attempting to treat Jaime as only a friend. Honestly, she was free to date whoever she wanted. But Tony? It was way too weird for him to handle. But perhaps this was what it would take for him to get over her. Maybe this was a good development.


	11. Chapter 11

A few nights later, Amelia sat on a bench at a local French restaurant; she was supposed to review the new chef for a local magazine. As she was waiting for a table, Phil Coulson walked in the door, clearly coming straight from work as he donned a grey suit and blue tie. He stepped up to the bar and was about to order when Amelia called to him from behind,  
“Phil! Hi!”  
He turned around, smiling as he took in her vintage khaki dress.  
“Amelia. Hello. I didn’t expect to run into you here. Doing a review tonight?”  
“As a matter of fact, I am. What are you doing here?”  
“I was just going to see if I could order something to go; I have a random craving for French cuisine.”  
“Oh. Do you have a meeting or something tonight?”  
“No, just thought I would get some food on my way home instead of cooking.”  
“So, you don’t have any plans tonight?”  
“None to speak of.”  
“Well, then I don’t suppose you would like to join me, would you?”  
Coulson looked like he was suffering an inner conflict before he finally answered Amelia with a shy smile on his face,  
“Yes, I suppose I could join you.”  
Mere moments later, Phil and Amelia were seated at a small table. Having quickly figured out she was a food critic, the waiter brought them the finest bottle of wine they had on hand. The two of them sat sipping it as they made conversation about their week. Amelia asked Phil how work had been and they talked politely, taking time to get to know each other. Amelia was really starting to fall for Phil and she hoped she was being obvious enough about it; she could tell that he liked her but was worried he would get hurt as he had in the past. As they polished off a cappuccino creme brûlée, Amelia suggested that they take a walk before heading off to their respective homes. They bid the waiter goodbye, Amelia promising a good review, and headed outside where a light drizzle fell. Together, they walked down the street, making small talk about the fall weather. Amelia reached over and intertwined her fingers with his, hoping this would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she liked him. After strolling for several blocks, the two of them turned back eventually arriving at the restaurant and hailing cabs to take them home.  
“It was good to see you again, Phil,” Amelia said, placing another soft kiss on his cheek.  
“It was great to see you too, Amelia.”  
“Please call me soon,” she said with a smile.  
Coulson simply nodded as he climbed into his cab, trying to contain the huge grin on his face as he watched Amelia climb into her taxi. Normally, he would have refused to even entertain any more thoughts about a girl like her; but Amelia was different and he could tell. Maybe things could just work out with them. If he ever got the courage to actually ask her out.


	12. Chapter 12

The next week or so passed without incident; Clint continued to teach Jaime more about the various vehicles she would be piloting and acted like he had seen nothing happen between her and Tony. Therefore, Tony decided it was time to initiate the next step. He walked into Jaime’s office, wearing a black suit and bright red tie. “Okay,” he said, approaching Jaime’s desk, “I officially started the rumor with Hannah that you and I are having an affair. Now, Hannah is the biggest gossip in the agency so news will travel fast. However, and this part is key, Coulson will not believe a rumor until he has evidence that it is true.”  
“Why does it matter if Coulson believes it?”   
“Because Clint trusts him. And if he says something is true, it’s true. So, Coulson usually walks by your office around 2:30 on his way to grab a mid-afternoon coffee. When he walks by today, he will walk in on a very interesting scene between you and I.”  
“Okay. So what’s the plan?”  
“Get out of your chair.”  
Jaime stood up, ready for Tony to position her in view of Coulson. However, he just sat down in the chair.  
“Now, straddle me.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“You heard me.”  
Tony sighed and shook his head as Jaime just raised her eyebrow at him.  
“Just do it.”  
“But Coulson can’t even see us there if he walks by.”  
“Correct. However, he is looking for proof to validate the rumor. So he will definitely be glancing into your office as he walks past and, let’s be honest, I’m hard to miss.”  
“Fine. Fair. But we still have almost ten minutes until he walks by. We don’t exactly need to get into position yet.”  
“Well, maybe he will be early today...and maybe I just want to make out with you.”  
Unable to argue, Jaime walked over to the desk and hiked up her black skirt a bit before straddling Tony’s lap. One of his hands instantly moved behind her neck, bringing her mouth down on his as he began kissing her with urgency; his other hand moved up and down her back. Soon, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching and knew it had to be Agent Coulson. At this fact, their kissing became all the more passionate as Tony slipped his tongue past Jaime’s lips, exploring her mouth, and one of his hands moved to her chest, running his fingers over her through her blouse. Coulson, trying to keep an eye out for proof that Tony and Jaime were involved, stopped dead in his tracks, shocked as he watched one of Tony’s hands move to Jaime’s ass and pull her tight against his hips while her hands mussed up his dark brown hair and her mouth and tongue moved expertly over his. As he finally processed what he was seeing, Coulson loudly cleared his throat, drawing the two lovers apart.  
“Need I remind you this is a professional work environment?” Coulson asked.  
“Sorry Agent Rulebook. We promise to close the door next time,” Tony replied as Jaime played it up by kissing down his neck and biting on his collarbone.  
“See that you do,” Agent Coulson replied, continuing his quest down the hall in search of coffee.  
Once he was gone, Jaime sat up, placing her hands on Tony’s shoulders, an excited look in her eyes,  
“That was perfect!” she exclaimed, starting to get up, but Tony’s hands still held her tight against him, “Is there a reason you’re not letting me go?”  
“You enjoyed that didn’t you?”  
“Enjoyed what?”  
“Kissing me. Sticking your tongue down my throat.”  
“Yeah...well...I appear to have proof that you enjoyed it too,” she said, glancing down towards her position on Tony’s lap.  
“I may have...” he said casually before leaning up to capture Jaime’s lips again as the two of them decided to finish the make out they had started.


	13. Chapter 13

That weekend, Amelia had actually devised a plan to see Phil again; she could tell he was interested but that he just needed one more push in the right direction. The plan was a double-date at the movies on Saturday night. However, Jaime did have to explain to Amelia exactly how Tony and her were involved. While she was surprised to find out that her best friend had been making out with Tony Stark and not telling her, she admitted the plan made sense and hoped that it would work on Clint to encourage him to make a move.   
On Saturday night, Amelia and Jaime arrived in a cab at Stark Tower, ready to pick up their dates. Amelia wore a red and white striped top with a tight blue pencil skirt, something Tony definitely noticed before checking out Jaime in her tight low-cut green top and denim mini-skirt. Coulson, being a bit more shy, smiled at Amelia before hesitatingly taking her hand and complimenting her on her outfit. Once they arrived at the cinema, Tony paid for all the tickets and they all headed into the theater. Amelia and Jaime has discussed the seating arrangement before and they sat side-by-side as their men placed themselves on either side of them. The two “couples” made polite conversation before the movie started, quieting down once the lights began to dim. Coulson smiled, gaining a little confidence from their last two “dates”, and reached over to take Amelia’s hand as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Tony, still continuing to play up their ruse, waited until about twenty minutes into the movie before his hand found its way to Jaime’s thigh, travelling up towards the bottom of her short skirt as his mouth moved to her neck and then to her ear. Turning her head, Jaime captured Tony’s lips, enjoying their theatrics as much as him. Throughout the movie, the two of them exchanged kisses, Jaime partly hoping this would encourage the couple sitting next to them to do the same. However, Phil and Amelia continued to simply hold hands as Amelia cuddled into his shoulder, enjoying the movie together. Afterwards, Tony told Amelia and Phil that he needed some alone time with Jaime back at his place, leaving the other two to figure out what to do with the rest of their night; they settled on hot fudge sundaes at a nearby ice cream shop.

. . .

The next day, Jaime arrived at Amelia’s apartment around mid-morning, bottle of champagne in hand. After pouring each of them a mimosa, Jaime joined her best friend on the couch and got straight to the point.  
“So, what’s going on with you and Phil? You two looked adorable together at the theater.”  
“I’m not entirely sure, I guess. I mean, he has finally started holding my hand and stuff but that is about it. He hasn’t even initiated us hanging out yet.”   
“Where did you guys go after the movie?”  
“We got ice cream and talked and then he brought me home. He did pay for me though which I thought was adorable.”  
“He really is a good guy; I think he just needs to get over this hang up about you getting tired of him or something.”  
“Yeah. I think I might back off a bit and see if he does something; I feel I’ve made it pretty clear that I like him.”  
“Fair. Yeah, I enjoyed seeing you two together at the theater; I thought you guys were sweet.”  
“How could you even notice us? You had a Tony Stark stuck to your face most of the night.”  
Blushing, Jaime declined to answer, choosing to sip on her mimosa instead which afforded Amelia the opportunity to continue,  
“I still can’t believe you are making out with Tony Stark. I know it’s just an act but still; I am a bit jealous.”  
“I have to admit, it has been pretty fun. And I definitely have no complaints about his kissing skills.”  
“And what about his...other skills?”  
“What do you...oh..that. No, we’re not sleeping together.”  
“Really?”  
“Really. We are honestly just putting on a show, nothing more. We aren’t doing anything behind the scenes, I swear.”  
“If you say so.”  
Jaime just shook her head at her best friend while getting up to get more mimosas. The girls spent the entire day together in this manner, watching movies and drinking, not wanting the weekend to end although they knew it was inevitable.  
Meanwhile, on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Phil and Clint were in one of the many labs, discussing a possible recent threat that needed to be dealt with. Joining them were Dr. Bruce Banner, aka The Hulk, Maria Hill, and Nick Fury himself. They were all standing around, discussing the best possible method to deal with the threat when Hill, seemingly out of nowhere, burst out,  
“I still can’t believe Stark is having an affair with that new girl, Jaime!”  
“Wait,” Dr. Banner said, “Tony’s sleeping with Jaime. That can’t be true.”  
At this, Coulson popped his head up, proud that he could contribute to the conversation,  
“Actually, it is true. I kind of walked in on them..well..making out would be putting in mildly.”  
Clint, who had been remaining silent during the entire exchange thus far, finally spoke up,  
“You don’t think that’s a bad idea, getting involved with someone you work with?”  
Coulson glanced over at Clint, noticing the sad look on his face and realizing exactly what was going on.  
“I think, Agent Barton, that there is nothing wrong with being involved with someone you work closely with and that one bad experience shouldn’t destroy future possibilities.”   
Clint glanced at his superior out of the corner of his eye, noticing that there was definite double meaning to his speech. But Coulson couldn’t possibly be suggesting that Clint try to win Jaime back from Tony? Didn’t he understand what Clint would be up against? As he pondered this thought, Fury suddenly interrupted the group that had gotten far off task,  
“Do you think it is at all possible to actually discuss the problem at hand?”   
The group sheepishly returned to talking about the problem facing the city, but what Coulson said never left Clint’s mind as he wondered if it was actually possible to get Jaime back.


	14. Chapter 14

Later that week, Tony decided that it was time to enact part three of the plan to get Clint and Jaime together. Around lunchtime, he appeared in Jaime’s office, taking the files from her hands and getting her to focus on him,  
“So, I just saw Clint headed this way with two sandwiches, one of which I assume is for you.”  
“Okay...so what’s the plan? Also, do we even know if this is working? I mean, he hasn’t been treating me any different.”  
“Trust me. It’s working. Whenever he gets all pensive and broody, he usually hangs out up in the ceiling, which is where he has taken up lodging all week.”  
“The ceiling?”  
“Don’t ask. There’s a reason they call him Hawkeye.”  
“Alright...so, what is the plan here?”  
“Just sit on your desk and follow my lead.”  
Jaime jumped up onto the edge of her desk and Tony hiked up her skirt just enough so he could wedge himself between her legs. As they heard the unmistakable footsteps of Clint coming down the hall, Tony leaned into her, stroking his hand up and down her thigh, his mouth at her neck. When they could tell he was just right outside, Tony said,  
“So, you’re coming over tonight?”  
“Yeah. You’re making dinner though.”  
“Ordering pizza counts, right?”  
Clint paused outside the door when he heard Tony speaking. As he listened in on the conversation, he peeked around the corner, wincing as he saw Tony with his head buried in her neck, placing kisses there between words while his hand moved up and down her leg. Drawing his head back around the corner, he continued listening to the conversation,  
“So,” Tony said, “after dinner, I think you and I should go down to my lab. I can show you some of the new suit modifications I’ve been making.”  
“Ok,” Jaime said, her reply cut short when she gasped; Clint wasn’t sure he wanted to know what had caused that.  
“And,” Tony continued, “I’m pretty sure there is the backseat of one of my Audis we have yet to christen.”  
“Hmm...I like the sound of that Mr. Stark.”  
“I love it when you call me that.”  
The conversation ended and Clint didn’t have to look to know they were in an intense lip-lock now. Turning on his heel, he headed back down the hallway, more determined than hurt at this point. It was finally time to admit to himself just how crazy he was about Jaime and how much he knew he would be a much better guy for her than Tony. Tony may have all the riches and charm and was probably amazing in bed but Clint had the heart and he cared deeply for Jaime already; he just had to make her see that somehow. Taking his sandwich, Clint made for one of the labs, taking a position in the ceiling and thinking about exactly how to win Jaime’s heart.


	15. Chapter 15

That Tuesday night, Amelia was sitting in her apartment. A fire was roaring and she was sipping hot tea while enjoying a book; it was nights like this that made her truly appreciate the cold weather of New York which was so different from Los Angeles where she grew up. She was just getting up to boil some more water for another cup of tea when her phone went off.  
“Hello?” she answered, not bothering to look at the caller id.  
“Hi Amelia, it’s Phil Coulson.”  
“Phil! Hi! How are you?”  
“I’m doing well. How are you this evening?”  
“I’m good.”  
“The reason I was calling was to see if you would maybe like to do something with me on Saturday.”  
“I would like that a lot. Did you have anything particular in mind?”  
“Well, I was thinking ice skating but if that is too cheesy, we can definitely do something else. I know ice skating is...”  
Amelia cut him off before he could finish his thought,  
“Ice skating sounds wonderful. Pick me up at three?”  
“I will be there.”  
Amelia hung up the phone and went to get the water boiling, a huge grin on her face; she couldn’t believe Phil had actually called her to ask her out. Saturday couldn’t come fast enough; she better start figuring out her outfit now.  
Saturday afternoon, Coulson arrived at Amelia’s place right when he said he would. He looked more comfortable than last time in a purple button-down shirt and khaki pants; it wasn’t his usual suit but it was better than the jeans in his opinion. Smiling, he greeted Amelia with a kiss on the cheek, then he took a moment to appreciate how beautiful she looked in her blue sweater dress and black tights.   
“Are you ready to go?”  
She nodded and grabbed a long coat as they headed out the door. The cab dropped them off at the rink and they automatically went to go rent their skates, lacing them up and getting on the ice. As they skated, they talked about their weeks, their hobbies, books they liked, movies, trying to learn more about each other. After awhile, Phil finally reached over and laced his fingers through Amelia’s gloved ones. She smiled at him and they continued skating, both enjoying the feeling of getting more comfortable with one another.   
After a few hours, both of them were exhausted and cold and decided to hang up their skates and go somewhere inside to get warm.  
“Have you ever been to Serendipity?” Phil asked her, continuing to hold her hand as they left the rink.  
“No, I haven’t sadly.”  
“We should go. They have excellent hot chocolate and it isn’t a long walk from here.”  
Amelia agreed and the two of them headed off in the direction of the cafe. After being seated and ordering two giant hot chocolates, the two of them sat back in their seats, Amelia taking in her surroundings. Phil gazed at her a moment, enjoying the look of joy on her face, before he interrupted her thoughts.  
“I love the word Serendipity,” he said, “I know it’s an old-fashioned notion but I truly believe in it. You never meet someone for no reason.”  
Amelia smiled at him, knowing that his words were referring to his meeting her.  
“I believe in it too. I’ve always been the girl that believes in fairy tales.”  
“I have always been the man who still believes in the idea of heroes.”  
“Well then I guess we are quite a pair,” she said, beaming at him shyly across the table.  
“I guess we are,” he said, returning the grin.  
At that moment, their hot chocolate arrived, and they began sipping on them, sitting in a moment of comfortable silence. Eventually, Phil broke the silence.  
“Amelia, I just wanted to apologize for being so inept at this whole dating thing. There are many things I can do well but relationships are not on that list. The last girlfriend I had lived in Portland; it ended because things got, well, complicated. I haven’t been with anybody since and when I first met you, I couldn’t imagine a girl as amazing as you being remotely interested in a guy like me.”  
“Well, I’m glad you gave me a chance. I really like you and it would have been a shame if we let an opportunity like this slip by.”  
“I really like you too.”  
The two of them continued drinking their hot beverages, reveling in the fact of mutual feelings expressed. Once they finished their chocolate, Phil paid the check and the two of them headed back out into the cold. Not quite ready to call it a day, they decided to walk for awhile, taking in the sights of New York City around Christmas. Pausing under a street lamp, Amelia and Phil took in a particularly wonderful view of the skyline. At that precise moment, snow started to fall in heavy flakes, quickly blanketing things in a layer of white. Amelia snuggled into Coulson’s side as he put his arm around her, both silently watching the snow fall. After a minute or so, Phil turned to her, gazing down at her before bringing his hand up to the side of her face. Leaning down, he pressed his lips softly to hers. Although a bit surprised at first, Amelia began kissing him back, smiling against his lips as her arms came to rest behind his neck and his went around her waist to draw her closer. They stood kissing for long moments as the snow fell softly around them.  
Later in the evening, Phil hailed a cab and they headed the direction of home, Amelia snuggling into his side in the backseat of the taxi. Once they arrived, Phil got out of the car, opening the door for her and walking her to the front door. He placed his hand beneath her chin and kissed her soundly once more, smiling as he pulled away.  
“Goodnight Amelia. I had a wonderful time tonight. I look forward to seeing you again soon.”  
“Goodnight Phil. Thank you for an incredible day.”  
With that, she put her keys in her door and went inside. She got ready for bed and fell asleep dreaming about the marvelous evening she had just experienced.


	16. Chapter 16

The next week, Coulson walked around the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters with a huge smile on his face; he already had another date set with Amelia for the following weekend and he couldn’t wait. Meanwhile, Tony and Jaime were still maintaining their dating ruse and she was beginning to feel that Clint would never actually make a move. However, that all changed Wednesday afternoon.   
“Okay,” Tony said, bursting into Jaime’s office and closing the door behind him, “Clint is on his way here right now with a very determined look on his face. I have a feeling he is about to crack so, we need just one final thing to push him to the edge.”  
Before Jaime could respond, Tony reached over and mussed up her hair,  
“Hey!” she protested, trying to fix the mess he had made.  
“It needs to look like we just got done with an intense face-sucking session,” he said, messing up his own hair and reaching over to untuck Jaime’s shirt from where it was stuck in her dark grey pencil skirt; his final touch was loosening his tie.  
“Well, I admit, this has been fun. You really are an unbelievable kisser and if things don’t work out with Legolas, you know where to find me.”  
Tony then threaded his fingers in her hair, kissing her soundly one more time before winking at her and heading out the door, adjusting his tie. Right outside the door, he bumped into Clint, giving him a polite nod as he headed down the hallway. Clint, noticing the way Tony was fixing his tie, took a look at Jaime, seeing her messed up hair and untucked shirt.  
“Hey Clint,” she said casually.  
“Worker bee, I don’t get it!”  
“Don’t get what?”  
“What you see in him.”  
“In Tony? Well he’s rich, attractive, charming...”  
“Is that really your type? I mean, when I first met you, I never would have...”  
“Never would have what?”  
“Pegged you as the Tony Stark type of girl.”  
“I don’t think I understand what you mean.”  
“It’s just...” he said, frustratedly running his fingers through his brown hair, “I think you could do better...”  
“Better...”  
“Well not better maybe but different. I just pictured you with a different type of guy I guess...”  
At this point, Jaime had crossed the office and was standing directly in front of Clint, trying to hide the smile on her face as he continued,  
“I mean, when I first met you, I pictured you with someone like...I don’t know...maybe someone like me. But then you started dating Tony and I tried to ignore it because I don’t date people I work with but then I saw you two locking lips and it really bothered me and...”  
Clint’s ramblings were cut short as Jaime put her hand behind his neck and pressed her lips to his. Instinctively, he kissed her back before realizing what was happening and took a step back.  
“Woah, woah, woah. What just happened?”  
“Clint, I’m not dating Tony.”  
“I don’t...wait, you’re not?”  
“No. Not at all.”  
“I don’t think I understand.”  
“I liked you a lot but Tony told me you have this thing about dating people you work with. He also told me you get jealous so we devised this plan to make you realize that you do actually want to be with me.”  
“You guys played me?”  
“Yeah. I guess technically. But it worked didn’t it?”  
“You guys sure went all the way with it.”  
“We needed it to be convincing,” Jaime said with a shrug.  
“But Coulson told me you went back to his place with him.”  
“No, we just said we were going back to Stark Tower in order to force him and Amelia to be alone.”  
“So,” Clint said, almost shyly, “you never slept with Tony?”  
“Not once.”  
Clint sighed a breath of relief as he processed what he was hearing, trying to understand exactly what this meant.  
“So, you do like me?”  
“Yes, a lot.”  
With a mischievous glint in his eye, Barton suddenly looked at Jaime with a smirk on his face,  
“Does this mean I can kiss you again, worker bee?”  
“On one condition.”  
“What’s that?”  
“That you ask me out on a proper date.”  
“Worker bee, will you go out with me this Saturday?”  
Jaime took a moment, pretending to ponder it before answering,  
“Of course I will.”  
Clint smiled and wrapped his muscular arm around her waist, pulling her tight against him as she let out a squeak of surprise. His hand threaded in her already loose hair and pulled her lips to his. He kissed her soundly as her hands found their way behind his neck, their tongues intertwining as the kissing grew in passion. They only stopped when a loud throat clear from a passing Coulson broke them apart.


	17. Chapter 17

That following Friday night, Coulson made his way over to Amelia’s for their date; he was planning on making her dinner. He arrived at her place, smiling as he took in her jeans and plain button-down white top; she always looked so beautiful. And Amelia couldn’t help the huge grin that crossed her face as she admired his vintage Captain America shirt. Once he had set down all his dinner ingredients in her kitchen, he walked back to Amelia and wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing her soundly. Her hands slipped up the soft fabric of his shirt to intertwine behind his neck. Their kissing continued for quite awhile until Phil finally pulled away, staring down at her and brushing a loose strand of her hair out of her face,  
“If we keep this up, I’ll never be able to make dinner,” he sighed.  
“Well, then we better stop,” she replied jokingly, “because I’m starving.”  
Giving her one final kiss, Coulson went back into the kitchen, filling a pot with water and turning on the stove, while Amelia went to light a fire and get some Frank Sinatra playing in the background. Absentmindedly, Phil swayed and danced around the kitchen as he cooked, Amelia looking on with amusement. She watched him for awhile before finally asking,  
“So, are you going to tell me what you’re making or is it a surprise?”  
“I am making an old spaghetti recipe, handed down to me from my grandma. She used to make it every Friday night and our whole family would gather around the table and eat and catch up on what had happened during the week. It was great; one of the best memories I have of my grandma really.”  
“That sounds like fun. I never knew my grandma, at least on my mom’s side; she died before I was born.”  
“I’m sorry to hear that.”  
“Thanks. It’s okay really. I was close to my grandpa though; he used to take my brother and I on a yearly trip to this cabin in the mountains and tell us stories of his life growing up.”  
Phil smiled at her and continued making dinner. Once the delicious pasta dish was prepared, he set the table and poured them each a glass of really nice wine, which he told her he got on one of his many business trips. Together, they ate and chatted, enjoying the company of one another. After dinner, they washed the dishes together and Coulson poured them each another glass of wine, bringing it over to the couch where Amelia was already sitting and enjoying the warmth of the fire. They sipped on their wine and talked about their families for hours, discussing traditions and other such things. Finally, the wine was gone and the empty glasses were taken to the kitchen. Returning to the couch, Phil slipped his arm around Amelia, using his fingers to turn her face to his. Leaning down, he kissed her languidly, no longer uncertain about her feelings for him. As the kiss intensified, his tongue begged entrance past her lips and she sighed into his mouth, sliding her hands up his arms and into his brown hair. The two kissed until they were both out of breath, still wanting more of each other. However, the wine had the effect of exhaustion and Phil decided it was probably time for him to leave so they could both get some sleep. Amelia walked him to the door, giving him one more lingering kiss before bidding him goodbye; she couldn’t wait to see him again.


	18. Chapter 18

That Saturday morning, Jaime woke up way earlier than necessary for her date with Clint; he wasn’t picking her up until eleven but she still felt that hours would be needed for her to get ready. Clint had been completely vague about what proper attire would be for their day but he had indicated that she would need to be somewhat dressed up at some point and would not have a chance to come home and change. As she looked through her closet, she finally settled on a simple black dress, one similar to Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany's. Deciding to stick with that theme, Jaime added a string of pearls; upon adding some make up, she was completely satisfied with her look.  
Clint arrived to pick her up right at eleven. Before she even had a chance to greet him, he had wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him and kissing her soundly on the lips. He eventually pulled away and took a good look at her outfit,  
“I wish I could express to you just how perfect your look is today. Also, Audrey Hepburn is incredibly hot and so are you.”  
Pleased, and a bit turned on, that he got the reference, Jaime followed him down to a waiting cab. Soon, they arrived at Serendipity. As Jaime got out of the taxi, she gave Clint a curious look,  
“Have you been taking dating advice from Agent Coulson? Because I know...for a fact...that he took Amelia here on their date.”  
Horrified, he responded,  
“I am doing something Coulson did on a date? That is not a good sign. Well, I bet he and I did it for incredibly different reasons.”  
“Oh? And what exactly would those different reasons be?”  
“Well, Coulson does it because he is an old-fashioned kind of guy and I don’t do those cheesy romantic things; I do it because I have seen you without coffee in the morning and it is kind of scary.”  
“Hey! Also, what makes you think I didn’t have coffee at home before you came and got me?”  
“I take no risks.”  
When they were finally seated, they both ordered coffee and sat sipping and talking for awhile, both finding themselves completely comfortable with each other already.   
After they finished their coffee, Clint paid and led her down to the street, leading her in the direction of their next destination; apparently he had planned their entire day. Moments later, the two arrived outside FAO Schwarz.  
“Are we seriously going to a toy store?” Jaime asked incredulously.  
“Of course. Do you know of a better way to burn off caffeine? Also, this is something every person living in New York must visit at least once.”  
Clint led her inside the large store and together they explored for an hour or two. Eventually, they stumbled upon a large display containing Star Wars paraphernalia, including lightsabers that actually lit up and had sound effects. Grabbing one and tossing it to Amelia, Clint picked up another one, turning it on and backing her into a corner. Together, they battled through the store, quoting lines from the movie and dueling each other until a manager politely asked them to leave. Accepting defeat, Clint directed them towards their next destination: the Empire State Building. They stood at the top for awhile, gazing out over the city. Jaime had a huge grin on her face as she took in the view; she had never been here before and it seemed magical to her. As the sun played in her red hair, Clint found himself staring at her, amazed that this girl was actually on a date with him. Jaime finally turned from the ledge, feeling his gaze on her.  
“What?” she asked, “Do I have something in my hair or something?”  
“No. I was just appreciating how beautiful you are right now.”  
Jaime blushed at the compliment before responding with,  
“I thought you didn’t do cheesy, romantic moments.”  
“Fine. Then, you look hideous, worker bee. Now, get over here and kiss me,” he replied, grabbing her hand and pulling her close to him, his hand wrapping behind her neck and playing with her hair as he kissed her deeply, feeling her smile against his lips. Finally, they broke apart and he rested his forehead on hers,  
“You are wonderful,” he said.  
Jaime responded with a smile, kissing him again before taking his hand and intertwining her fingers with his as they headed off towards the elevator. After dinner at a local diner, Clint directed them towards their final destination: an actual Broadway production of Jaime’s favorite musical, Chicago. Clint grabbed their tickets from will-call and they found their seats. Automatically, Clint’s hand reached for hers, and she leaned her head down on his shoulder while the lights went down. The first half was phenomenal and Jaime was smiling as her and Clint headed for the bar to grab a drink during intermission. Once they were seated with their whiskey and cokes, she asked him,  
“So, what made you do this whole New York City tour day for our first date?”  
“Well, one time when we were talking, you said that you had never truly seen the sites of New York and I thought that was a shame; thought I should fix that.”  
“This is the best date I have ever been on.”  
“Why have you never seen the sites before? I mean, you said you have lived here for over a year.”  
“Well, my ex-boyfriend never took me and I didn’t feel like going alone.”  
“Why didn’t he take you?”  
“Because he had seen them already and didn’t feel the need to see them again; he especially hated the theater so I knew there was no hope of me making it to Broadway.”  
“Your ex-boyfriend sounds like a tool...no offense.”  
“Oh, he was.”  
“So what happened with you two? If you don’t mind me asking.”  
“Well, one day, I walked in on him in our bed with three girls. I dumped him right then and there and moved out the next day.”  
“Wow. Three girls? I mean, not only does that sound exhausting but I can’t even remotely see how three girls would even come close to equalling what he had with you.”  
Jaime blushed again,  
“Thank you. Yeah. I mean, I suspect he was probably cheating all along but this was just the first time I caught him.”   
“Yeah, I know how that goes.”  
Jaime was about to enquire further but the lights flashed, indicating the beginning of the second act. After downing their drinks, Clint led Jaime back to their seats, kissing her once again as the lights went down and they settled in to enjoy the second half of the show.   
The show was amazing and afterwards, Clint led Jaime outside, hailing another taxi and directing the driver back to her place. Upon arriving, they got out and he walked her to her front door.   
“Clint, I had a great time. Thank you for such a wonderful day.”  
“I had an amazing time too. I am already excited for our second date.”  
“Oh, you think there’s going to be a second date?”  
Clint shook his head at her sarcastic comment before wrapping his fingers behind her neck, pushing her against the door as he pressed his lips to hers. Her hands went to his waist, grabbing his hips to pull him closer as her tongue pressed into his mouth. They continued making out against the door in this fashion for quite awhile until finally Clint forced himself to pull away from her.  
“Goodnight worker bee. I’ll see you on Monday.”  
“Aren’t you coming in?”  
“On the first date? What kind of gentleman do you take me for?” he replied with a snarky grin.  
She just smiled at him before grabbing the front of his shirt, pulling his lips to hers again and kissing him goodnight. They eventually parted and Clint headed back to the street to hail another taxi, leaving Jaime to unlock her apartment with a huge grin on her face; yes, she would definitely be dreaming of him tonight.


	19. Chapter 19

Saturday evening, after shopping for hours with Amelia, Jaime returned to her apartment to get ready for her date with Clint. It took much consideration before she finally decided to wear her low-cut green top and denim mini skirt. After a dinner of pizza at a local dive, the two of them headed for the bowling alley. They played game after game and consumed beer after beer, Jaime kicking Clint’s ass due to her experience with the game.   
Afterwards, they headed back to her place; Clint was bound and determined to make her sit down and watch Sleepless in Seattle.  
“I can’t believe you have never seen this movie,” he said, placing the DVD in the player.  
He went back to the couch, picking up the glass of wine Jaime had poured him. As the movie started, Jaime positioned herself on the end of the couch with her drink, relaxing against the opposite arm of the sofa from where Clint was sitting and placing her feet in his lap. Looking down at him, she said,  
“Don’t touch my feet.”   
“You are aware they are in my lap, correct?”  
“Yes. And that doesn’t mean you need to touch them. Ankle and above is okay. Anything below and I will kick you in the face.”  
Clint smirked at her, moving his hand as if to touch her foot before running it across her ankle and up her thigh, ending his teasing in a deep kiss. Throughout the movie, Jaime and Clint sat on the couch with him running his hand up and down her leg while they enjoyed their drinks. About halfway through, Jaime poured them each another glass of wine and rejoined him on the couch. Afterwards, she had to admit she really enjoyed the movie and he beamed at her as he went to put in something else. As he sat down, he brushed his finger briefly over the bottom of her left foot and she sent him a warning glare. He repeated the motion and Jaime made a move towards him, intending on smacking him, when she spilled her red wine on her shirt and skirt.  
“See, look what you touching my foot made me do,” she said with a smirk, letting him know she wasn’t actually angry.  
She stood up, holding the dark, wet, spot away from her body.  
“I need to go change and get this treated before it stains.”  
She headed for the bedroom, searching through her closet for something suitable to wear. As she was reaching for another top after putting on her jeans, she heard Clint’s footsteps enter the room.  
“Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted me to put the wine glasses in the dishwasher or just leave them in the sink?”   
Jaime turned to him, laughing as she noticed that he had his hands over his eyes.  
“Clint, darling, why are your eyes covered? Are you 10?”  
“Well...I mean...I knew you were changing...and...”  
“I am just in my bra. I promise it’s okay; it is no different than seeing me in a bikini or something..”  
Clint slowly removed the hand from his eyes, taking in the way Jaime looked in her black bra and jeans. Quickly crossing the room, he captured her lips, his hand sliding to her chest and stroking her through the silky black fabric. He backed her towards the bed, pushing her down on it and laying himself on top of her. His fingers worked the button of her jeans, while his mouth travelled up to her ear, running his tongue along the skin beneath it as her hands quickly removed his t-shirt over his head. Clint slid her jeans over her hips, taking in her matching black underwear. Suddenly, Clint snapped out of his stupor and sat up,  
“I’m sorry,” he said, running his fingers through his hair, “I just...lost control a bit. I kind of have a thing for black...underthings. I shouldn’t have just assumed you were ready to sleep with me.”  
“You act like I was complaining,” she replied with a smile.  
“You mean...?” he started, giving her a questioning glance.  
“Agent Barton, get your sexy ass back down here and finish what you just started,” she said, leaning up to nip at his collarbone, which was just within her reach.  
Needing no further motivation, Clint laid himself back down on his girlfriend, kissing her soundly, his tongue eagerly slipping past her lips as she undid the zipper of his jeans and pushed them over his hips, together with his boxers, onto the floor. Releasing her mouth, his lips travelled down her neck, brushing over her cleavage while he worked on removing her bra. Once the black garment was tossed aside, his mouth worked over the exposed skin as she ran her nails up and down his back. As he travelled even lower, her breath hitched and she tugged at his hair as his teeth slowly removed her black, lacy underwear, the remaining garment standing between them and their first night of passion.


	20. Chapter 20

A few weeks later, Clint and Jaime were out picking up the Chinese food they ordered, intending on taking it back to her place for a Star Wars marathon when Clint’s phone went off.  
“This is Agent Barton,” he said, answering it and listening to the person on the other end, “I’m on my way.”  
“What was that all about?”  
“That was Coulson. You remember that Tesseract energy reading S.H.I.E.L.D. has been tracking lately? Well we found a main source at Grand Central Terminal. I’m expected to report there right away. I’ll call you a cab.”  
“No. I’m going with you.”  
“No, Jaime, you’re not.”  
“I might be able to help.”  
“It’s dangerous. I don’t want you getting hurt.”  
“Clint, I am being trained as a pilot. Eventually, I will be in dangerous situations. Let me help.”  
Seeing that it would be no use arguing with her, Clint conceded and they headed over to the train station, making sure to stop at one of the many S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters so he could grab his arrows and bow. When they arrived at the main concourse, nothing seemed out of the ordinary; apparently S.H.I.E.L.D. did not want to cause unnecessary alarm. The two finally spotted Coulson standing near a round terminal with a gold clock fixed on top of it. They approached him, noticing the terminal was devoid of people inside.  
“Agent Barton. I’m glad you’re here.”  
“What’s the situation sir?”  
“Well, best we can tell, the source of the Tesseract energy is located in that clock. We’re not sure exactly what the device does or who planted it but we are trying to remove it with minimal damage.”  
“Okay. I’m going to get higher, see if I can spot anyone keeping a particular eye on the clock.”  
Coulson nodded and Clint took off. Just as Coulson was starting to circle the terminal, he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he found himself face to face with Amelia, who placed a quick kiss on his lips.  
“Amelia!” he said, trying to keep his voice calm while fighting the rising panic inside, “what are you doing here?”  
“Actually, I was asked to do a review of one of the restaurants here, if you can believe it. What are you doing here?”  
“Uh, nothing...um business.”  
Just then, there was a series of loud beeps coming from the gold clock and Agent Coulson’s face went white.  
“Someone just pressed a destruct button...get down!” he screamed, trying to indicate to as many people as possible to run.   
Above, Clint watched the scene in horror, everything moving in slow motion as the device in the clock erupted, sending glass and metal rocketing through the air. He watched as Coulson leapt on top of Amelia, shielding her with his body as pieces of shrapnel ripped through his suit. And, simultaneously, he watched as Jaime quickly processed what was happening and turned her attention to two children, who had been waiting for the return of a parent from the bathroom, standing close to the terminal. She quickly dove, shoving the children as hard as she could out of the way, as the device exploded. Clint felt his stomach drop and heave as he witnessed his girlfriend take the brunt of the explosion, the force throwing her body forward onto the floor where she lay, not moving, blood already seeping through her clothes where glass and metal had pierced her skin.  
Things happened quickly after that, in the aftermath of the eruption. Those who weren’t injured attempted to help those that were. Sirens rang out and the concourse was quickly filled with police, emergency personnel, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Clint, having come down from his perch, ran to Jaime’s side. She still had a pulse and was breathing but she seemed barely alive. Clint watched as she was loaded into an ambulance along with Coulson; he wasn’t horribly hurt it seemed but they still wanted to examine him. Although Clint wanted to go with Jaime, Agent Coulson asked him to take Amelia home and make sure she was okay; he knew she would have many questions about what had just happened.


	21. Chapter 21

Jaime was met with a blinding light as she slowly opened her eyes; pain was coursing through her body and she had no idea where she was or how she got there. As her eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of the room, she looked around and realized she was in a hospital room. There was an IV stuck in her arm and a heart monitor beeped monotonously in the corner. She turned her head and winced at the pain; what had happened to her?  
“You might want to just lay still there, superhero; you could rip your stitches out.”  
Jaime glanced over and saw Tony sitting in a chair next to the bed, mindlessly flipping through channels. He was trying to appear disinterested but the relief showed openly on his face when he saw that she was awake. Getting out of the chair, Tony approached the bed so Jaime wouldn’t have to strain herself trying to look at him.  
“How are you feeling? You need more pain drugs?”  
“No...I...I think I’m okay right now. What happened?”  
“You were a hero,” Coulson said, entering the room, “I’m glad to see you are finally awake.”  
“Awake, yes, but still confused. The last thing I remember is that thing about to explode...and then I tried to push those kids to...those kids! Are they okay?!”  
“A bit bruised perhaps but alive...thanks to you. When you shoved them out of the way, you pretty much took the full impact of that explosion.”  
“Am I going to be okay?”  
“Thankfully yes. You do have many deep cuts though from the shrapnel. They were able to stitch you up and S.H.I.E.L.D. has been developing a healing serum that should speed up the recovery process. However, scans did reveal that you have a fairly severe concussion; no permanent damage but they do want to keep you here for several days for observation.”  
“Alright.”  
“Jaime, what you did...I must say, you proved Barton to remain a man of trustworthy reputation.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Agent Barton has always been a man of impeccable judgement of character; he makes calls that other agents would never make simply because he can read a person the moment he meets them. So when he came to me, telling me that he met this girl that he knew would be a valuable asset to our organization, I didn’t question him.”  
Jaime smiled, as much as she could without pain, as Coulson continued,  
“And at the train station, you really proved yourself, Jaime Juniper. I have never been prouder. Clint was absolutely right; you are of great value to S.H.I.E.L.D.”  
Jaime started tearing up, not even sure how to react. Then a thought crossed her mind,   
“Wait, where is Clint? And Amelia? Are they okay too?”  
“They’re fine. Agent Barton took Amelia home and stayed the last few days with her just to keep an eye on her. I think she was a bit traumatized though and I imagine she will have questions for me.”  
“What are you going to tell her?”  
“The truth. I guess. And hope that it doesn’t scare her off.”  
“With the way she talks about you, I highly doubt anything will scare her off,” Jaime said with a smirk.  
Coulson smiled and Jaime noticed the blush that crept into his cheeks.  
“Now, I have to return to headquarters and discuss with Director Fury our next course of action. Clint will be in to visit you later; he will be happy you are awake.”  
Coulson turned to leave the room, followed by Tony, who she heard pestering Coulson with questions,  
“Wait, wait, wait,” he said, “do you have an actual girlfriend? That lives in town? Are you...getting laid on a regular basis? Wait, don’t answer that...”  
Jaime smiled and shook her head as their voices faded down the hall. Moments later, a nurse appeared in her room, checking her vitals and giving her more pain medication


	22. Chapter 22

While Jaime recovered in the hospital, with Clint constantly by her side, Agent Coulson decided it was time to have the hard discussion with Amelia, explaining to her exactly what happened and what he did for a living. He knocked on her door and waited for her to answer. When she finally did, he smiled at her, unsure what her reaction would be; what she did surprised him. Grabbing him by his suit jacket, she pulled his mouth down to hers, kissing him deeply as his arms found their way around her waist. When they finally broke apart, he looked at her with confusion,  
“What was that for?” he asked.  
“For saving my life. Which, by the way, I am not entirely sure what happened. And how are you not hurt from that explosion?!”  
“Well, I have a few cuts and bruises but nothing too severe. I had armor underneath my suit; when you get your heart run through by an Asgardian spear, you learn to take necessary precautions when it comes to things involving the Tesseract.”  
Amelia just looked at her boyfriend like he had lost his mind.  
“Long story. Actually,” he continued, stepping inside, “that’s what I came to talk to you about.”  
They walked over to the couch and for the next hour or so, Phil explained to Amelia exactly what he did for a living, his involvement in the New York incident, what happened with Loki, and some of what was going on now; there were still secrets he was required to keep but he was able to tell her quite a bit. As he finished his story, he looked over at Amelia, trying to gauge her reaction.  
“So, you’re like a secret agent?”  
“Something like that yes. And, I wish I could tell you that what happened at Grand Central was a rarity but, I think it is only fair you know that I encounter dangerous situations like that quite often.”  
“Well, then I will just look forward to you coming to see me even more because it means you survived,” she said with a smile.  
“You mean, you still want to be my girlfriend? The government agent, life always in danger thing doesn’t intimidate you?”   
Amelia then stood from her seated place on the couch, wrapping his tie around her hand and pulling him to his feet,  
“Let me show you exactly what the whole ‘secret agent’ thing does to me,” she said seductively, leading him to her bedroom.   
Once they were there, she used his tie to pull his mouth down on hers, kissing him eagerly. She finally released his lips and moved them towards the bed,  
What are you doing?” Coulson asked.  
“I’m not quite done thanking you for saving my life, Agent Coulson.”  
He found her using his official title incredibly hot and crawled over her on the bed, kissing her with renewed hunger, his tongue slipping past her lips to slide over hers as she sighed into the kiss. His hands ran down her sides, slipping under the hem of her vintage dress, removing it over her head in one swift motion while her fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt. The dress and shirt being discarded, Amelia began to kiss a line up Phil’s neck, finding that sweet spot right below his ear and sucking on it. He groaned as his fingers quickly found their way to the spot on her back he had discovered drove her crazy. Before long, both of them were breathing heavily, their mouths returning to one another, kissing each other breathless while they worked on removing the remaining garments, except the tie, that were keeping Amelia from expressing the full extent of her gratitude.


	23. Chapter 23

About a week later, Jaime was almost fully recovered and the hospital released her to go home. The serum developed by S.H.I.E.L.D. had worked quite well and she was barely in any pain anymore; however, Coulson still requested she take a few days off work to relax at home and fully recover. Clint helped her fill out all her necessary paperwork then hailed a taxi to take them to her place. Once they got in the door and had set her stuff down, Clint grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her against him as he kissed her passionately.  
“I am so glad you’re okay, bee. Watching you save those kids...and sacrifice yourself...I just...”  
But he never completed his sentence as his lips found their way back to hers. Their tongues tangled together as Clint walked them back towards her bedroom. When they got there, he reached his hands down, preparing to remove her shirt.  
“Wait,” she said, suddenly.”  
“What? What’s wrong? Did I hurt you? Is this okay?”  
“No. It’s fine. Just...you turn away and let me get undressed first. Then I’ll get under the covers and you turn out the light.”  
“Why are you getting all self-conscious all of a sudden? This isn’t like you.”  
“Well..it’s just. The serum worked great on all my gashes and such but they still left scars. And...I’m kind of embarrassed by them; they’re really hideous.”  
Clint just looked at her in shock,  
“Are you kidding? Scars are hot! I have scars.”  
“Yes, but you’re a guy. It’s different with girls.”  
Clint put his hand on the side of Jaime’s face, forcing her to look at him.  
“Bee, you are the most gorgeous woman I have ever encountered, scars or no scars. And, honestly, I love your scars because every time I will see them, I will always be reminded of exactly what you did that day and how much of a hero you are. Please, let me show you how beautiful I find you.”  
He stepped behind her, slowly lifting her shirt over her head as she relinquished control. Tossing the garment aside, he leaned his head down, kissing a scar on her shoulder, then moving to another one on her side, placing another kiss there as well. Moving in front of her, he ran his tongue along one that graced the top of her chest before getting on his knees and sliding her sweatpants off of her. He kissed a scar on her hipbone, then one on her leg. Once he had lavished attention on each one, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed, laying her down gently and hovering above her. She smiled up at him, with just a hint of tears glistening in her eyes. Clint leaned down and kissed her before asking,  
“And you know which scar is my favorite?”  
Jaime shook her head no as she noticed the mischievous look in Clint’s eyes.  
“This one,” he said, leaning down and running his tongue along one right below her ear, causing Jaime to gasp as he then bit down on her ear. Her hands tangling in his hair, she brought his face back to hers, kissing him eagerly as she lifted her hips to grind against his, drawing a moan from him. Within moments, Clint insured that all their garments had been removed and repeatedly proved to his heroic girlfriend that he found her breathtaking, scars and all.


	24. Chapter 24

Over the next few weeks, the two couples continued happily dating and life continued as normal. However, the Tesseract incident was not forgotten and S.H.I.E.L.D. continued to track the activity, hoping to catch whoever was behind it before they struck again. Clint continued to train Jaime on different vehicles, teaching her about how they worked and how to fly them. After she had been taken out in all the various modes of transportation, Clint took her back up in the Quinjet and let her fly it; he even taught her how to land it. It was exciting and yet the scariest experience of Jaime’s life and she wondered if she would ever be ready to be an actual pilot for the agency.  
Meanwhile, Coulson and Amelia continued their relationship in perfect bliss; it was such a relief to not have secrets between them anymore. One night, Phil really wanted to do something special for Amelia. Picking her up at seven, they hopped in a cab and were driven to a restaurant Amelia had never been to before. It looked super fancy and she was excited to see what her boyfriend had in store. As they entered, Coulson walked over to someone at the bar in the entrance and whispered something in his ear. The man nodded and signalled to a waiter who led them to the very back of the restaurant where a private table was set up, complete with candlelight. Without them even ordering, plates of food were brought before them, all of it delicious. Amelia gave him a curious look as they started eating,  
“So how did you become such a VIP here?” she asked with a smirk.  
“Well, let’s just say the owner owes me a favor. You always take me to such nice places because of your job; I wanted to be the big shot for once,” he replied, smiling at her.  
They ate their delicious dinner as they waiter continued to bring them more food and drinks than they could possibly consume. After they ate, Phil and Amelia jumped in another cab and headed off to an address Phil told the driver.  
“Where are we going?” Amelia asked.  
“I’m taking you dancing.”  
“What? I didn’t know you knew how to dance.”  
“Oh, I’ve got moves. We’re going salsa dancing actually. Your red dress gave me the idea.”  
They pulled up at a salsa club and Phil led her inside. A song was just starting and he pulled his girlfriend out onto to the floor. Phil Coulson wasn’t lying when he said he had moves as he spun and moved Amelia across the floor; she knew basic salsa steps and Phil proved to be an incredible lead that she could follow easy. They danced for hours, with Coulson stealing kisses from her each time he dipped her. When they were finally exhausted, they headed back to Amelia’s place where she showed him that she had some moves of her own.


	25. Chapter 25

Before she knew it, Jaime’s birthday had arrived and Clint had something special planned. He told her to put on a fancy dress and he would pick her up promptly at six. After hours of decision, she finally settled on a blue polka-dot halter dress; it wasn’t exactly fitting for the time of year considering it was two weeks before Christmas, but she knew her boyfriend would have no complaints about how low-cut it was. Putting on a black leather coat and slipping into her black, strappy, heels, she waited for Clint to arrive. He got there right when he said he would, giving her a long, languid kiss in greeting.  
“Happy birthday, bee.”  
“Thank you, babe.”  
They headed down to the street where Clint hailed a cab, giving him the address of a 5 star restaurant Jaime had been wanting to try but felt she could never afford. Once they got there, Jaime turned her back, slowly removing her coat to give her man a first glimpse at her outfit. She turned around and found him staring at her, his eyes running over her body before he stepped over to kiss her once again; he was so proud of her for not trying to hide her scars anymore. They sat down at the table, enjoying a delicious seafood dinner which was paired with an expensive wine, talking and laughing the entire time. After they had eaten and were waiting for dessert, Clint reached into a pocket of his jacket and pulled out a little, blue, box wrapped with a white ribbon. Shyly, he handed it to her, looking almost embarrassed,  
“I bought you this. I know it is kind of cheesy and I know you don’t wear a lot of jewelry but I saw it and thought of you so...I hope you like it.”  
Jamie pulled the ribbon away and opened the box, finding a little bee pendant on a silver chain, it’s body inlaid with diamonds. Her breath caught as she pulled it out of the box and it sparkled in the light. She opened her mouth to say something but Clint cut her off, knowing her too well,  
“And before you say anything about it being too expensive...because I know you will, Bee...don’t give it a second thought. It is not an issue and I want you to have something from Tiffany’s; every girl should.”  
“Babe, it’s beautiful. I love it. And the fact that it is a bee is so perfect.”  
“I knew it would make you think of me. Here,” he said, coming around the table, “let me put it on.”  
He undid the tiny clasp and slipped it around her neck, closing it and letting it fall down her neck to rest lightly at the top of her chest. Standing back, he admired it,  
“It looks perfect on you.”  
“Thank you. I love it so much,” she said, stepping over to him and giving him a deep kiss, his hand going behind her neck to pull her even closer. Once they broke apart, he sat back down and their dessert arrived. As they ate, Jaime looked at him and asked,  
“So why do you call me worker bee?”  
“Because, from the first moment you started working at the agency, you were always busy every time I came into the office. I always thought it was so cute how hard you were trying to impress everyone when you really didn’t have to; everyone adored you from the start. But you were still always bustling around your office, typing and answering phones. It was charming.”  
Jaime smiled at him and shook her head,  
“I was so worried about being good enough because you had such faith in me and after what happened at the last job...I guess I was just concerned I wouldn’t live up to the expectations of me.”  
“That was never a thought in my head. You are amazing and there is no way I can ever imagine you disappointing me,” Clint said, reaching across the table to take her hand, “I love you, worker bee.”  
“I love you too, Robin Hood.”  
“Robin Hood? I like it; sounds much better coming from you than Tony.”  
They smiled at each other, finishing their dessert while they exchanged glances across the table. Afterwards, Clint paid and they headed back out into the street, deciding to walk for awhile in the crisp, night air. Clint reached down and intertwined his fingers with Jaime’s, smiling at her as he said,  
“I have one more surprise for you tonight, worker bee.”  
She gave him a curious look as he walked them in the direction of where they usually got on the jet to the Helicarrier everyday. They got aboard one of the jets and were taken quickly to the headquarters. As she disembarked from the plane, she gave her boyfriend a look,  
“Work? Your birthday surprise is taking me to work?” she teased.  
“Just wait and see,” he said, leading her to a secluded spot in the hangar where she saw Lola parked. Clint led her over to the car, backing her against the side of it as he began kissing her hungrily, and Jaime finally understood exactly what his surprise was. She released his lips, looking at him with a wicked grin on her face,  
“This might be the sexiest thing a guy has ever done for me.”  
“Well, I know how much you like this car and I guarantee that Coulson does not know how to properly use this passenger seat.”  
“What if someone walks in?”  
“Don’t worry. I took care of it.”  
“I’m concerned about how.”  
“I promise they have no idea what is going on in here...or what I’m about to do to you,” he said, as a smirk crossed his face.  
His hand wrapped behind her neck again, tangling in her hair as he kissed her passionately, his tongue slipping past her lips as she ran her hands up his chest, beginning to undo the buttons on his black shirt. Completing her task, she removed the shirt, tossing it aside as she began to kiss down his neck, running her tongue along his collarbone then biting down, getting a moan from her boyfriend. His hands tangled further in her hair, yanking hard on it, causing her to throw her head back, exposing her neck. His lips worked their way around until they reached the tie of her dress which he took between his teeth, tugging hard and undoing the knot. His fingers then reached down, pulling the dress away from her chest and his hands replaced the fabric of the dress as his mouth moved to her ear, causing her to moan and arch her hips into him. His lips then returned to hers as she undid the button on his pants, removing them along with his boxer briefs. Clint pulled her dress the rest of the way down, also removing her remaining garments. Both completely undressed now, Clint continued kissing her, running his hands over her body before reaching behind her to open Lola’s passenger door. He got into the front seat and pulled Jaime in with him so that she was straddling his lap, his mouth continuing to kiss and suck on her neck as they christened the front seat of their boss’s 1960 Corvette.


	26. Chapter 26

About one week later, the two couples were out on a double date. The plan was to have a nice dinner then see a performance of White Christmas. Dinner was going well and the four of them were laughing over something Coulson said when suddenly a bright blue flash filled the restaurant and Agent Coulson and Agent Barton collapsed on the floor as if in pain. The girls looked at each other in a panic, not sure of what to do, when they heard Clint say,  
“No, not again. The voice. It’s back.”  
Both men clutched their heads, shaking them as if to get something out. Jaime was about to call 911 when Clint’s phone went off; she grabbed it, pushing the talk button.  
“Hello?”   
“Agent Barton?” said Director Fury’s voice on the other end.  
“No, it’s Jaime. Agent Barton actually appears to be in great pain right now. As does Agent Coulson. I’m not sure what happened. There was a blue flash and then they suddenly grabbed their heads.”  
“This is what I feared.”  
“Sir, what’s going on?”  
“The Chitauri are back. The aliens that invaded New York before, they are the ones behind the Tesseract incident at the train station and they have stepped up their game.”  
“I don’t understand.”  
“They have placed a device on the top on the Empire State Building, something powered by the Tesseract. The device appears to have mind control powers; we believe they intend to take over New York.”  
“So why are seemingly only Coulson and Barton affected?”  
“The device takes awhile to have an affect over this distance so most people won’t be under their control quite yet. However, both Barton and Coulson have had run-ins with the Tesseract before and it would appear that the trace amounts in their system open themselves up to easier influence. I need you to get them back to headquarters as fast as you can. Don’t let them have control of anything belonging to S.H.I.E.L.D., you got that?”  
“But sir, I...”  
“I’m counting on you Agent Juniper.”  
“Sir, I’m not an agent.”  
“You are now. Get them back here.”  
The other end of the phone went dead and Jaime went pale; she had no idea what to do. Amelia looked at her, having heard exactly what Fury said. They both looked at the men who were still holding their heads and obviously trying to keep control of their thoughts. Jaime looked at her best friend, panicked. Amelia, however, looked completely calm.  
“Jaime, don’t panic. We have to get them back to headquarters. Now, how do you usually get there?”  
“We take a jet. There are some located at Stark Tower.”  
“Then we need to get there. Now.”  
Jaime wasn’t entirely certain what had come over her best friend but she knew she was right. The girls grabbed their guys, helping them into a cab and ordered the driver to Stark Tower; he looked concerned about the men but took them there anyway. Upon arriving, JARVIS let them in and Jaime approached Tony,  
“We need a jet. Now. The Tesseract device is taking control of their minds and I need to get them back,” Amelia said, shocking Tony with her authoritative attitude.  
“Does one of you know how to pilot that thing?”  
“I’ve flown one before,” Jaime said, uncertainty in her voice.  
“Alright. Then good luck and be careful. You’re going to hit some nasty weather though. Thor is going to create a lightning storm, hopefully interfering with the signal of the device long enough for me to knock it out.”  
The girls nodded their heads as Tony looked at the two men; he notice their eyes were already starting to turn an icy blue as the Tesseract began to take affect. Turning, he grabbed two devices from a lab table. He placed one on each agent and pressed a button; suddenly, an energy field surrounded both of their wrists.  
“This device will prevent them from escaping and trying to seize control once the Tesseract takes affect. Now go.”  
He kissed both of them quickly before pressing a button, his Iron Man suit molding around him. The girls ran off in the direction of the jets; they got in, latching the men into seats in the back while Jaime jumped in the pilot’s seat and Amelia climbed in next to her. Jaime turned to her best friend,  
“I don’t know if I can do this,” she said.  
Amelia placed a hand on her shoulder, looking her directly in the eyes,  
“Listen, I know you can. You are the bravest person I know. You saved children’s lives at the risk of your own. You have flown this plane before and you can do it again, right now. All our lives depend on it; I have faith in you.”  
From the back, Coulson spoke up,  
“Listen to her Jaime; she’s right. She...ahh!” he cried in pain. Clint was already too far gone from the Tesseract, fighting against the restraints placed around him. Taking a deep breath, Jaime messed with the control panel, getting the plane going and turning it towards the entrance; it soared off into the air as Jaime completed her first successful takeoff.  
The flight was rough as Tony was proven right about the bad weather. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled as the storm grew worse; Thor was seen above the Empire State Building, his hammer spinning overhead, creating more and more clouds and lightning while Iron Man flew around the spire, looking for a means to stop the device. Jaime dodged and weaved, making her way to the hellicarrier, Amelia encouraging her the whole time. They were about there when something struck the plane and they spun over and over. Fighting, Jaime regained control of the jet, making it soar higher as she circled back around to land. Finally, they touched down and made it into safety; Fury was standing inside the hangar, awaiting their arrival. Two guards grabbed Coulson and Barton, taking them off into the headquarters for cognitive recalibration. Jaime shakily got down from the pilot seat and Fury greeted her with a nod before turning his attention to Amelia, who slowly disembarked from the plane, taking in her surroundings,  
“Who is this?”  
“This is Amelia Aaronson; she is Agent Coulson’s girlfriend.”  
Fury raised an eyebrow at this fact but nodded at her too.  
“Thank you for bringing them back here. I want both of you to report to the medical bay immediately. I need you checked for injuries and any sign of Tesseract energy.”  
Knowing better than to argue with Fury, Jaime led Amelia to the medical bay where they were immediately checked and given a clean bill of health. As they were leaving, they ran into Coulson who looked completely recovered. He was smiling at both of them.  
“You guys were both outstanding.”  
“Thanks,” Jaime said, looking at him curiously, “you sure got better fast.”  
“I didn’t have much Tesseract remnants in me so it was easy to get the effect of the device out of my mind. I’m sorry, Agent Juniper, but Agent Barton was not so lucky. He is still restrained and they are trying to get him back in his right mind.”  
Jaime nodded her head, understanding; she was still shaking from her experience and looked like she was about ready to collapse.  
“Perhaps you should go lay down for awhile,” Coulson suggested, “You can use Clint’s room; it is just down the hall. Someone will keep you updated on his condition.”  
She agreed and headed off towards his room where she immediately collapsed on the bed, falling asleep in mere moments. Agent Coulson turned his attention back to Amelia, who still looked like she was trying to process exactly what had happened. Grabbing her hand, he started leading her down the hall,  
“And I need you to come with me. Right now,” he said.


	27. Chapter 27

Phil led her into his bedroom where he immediately closed the door and began kissing her. Once he broke apart from her, she looked at him, surprised,  
“What’s going on?”  
“What’s going on is I need you. Right now. Seeing you take control back there. Just. Wow.”  
“I don’t know what came over me. I just knew that we had to get you back and that Jaime had to be the one to do it.”  
“Well it was the hottest thing I have ever seen,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist, “I think I like authoritative you.”  
“Oh you do?” she said, a wicked glint coming into her eyes; Coulson raised his eyebrow at the expression on her face.   
Suddenly, she pushed him back towards the bed, shoving him onto it and straddling him. Unbuttoning his shirt, she leaned down to kiss and suck on his neck, drawing a moan from him. His hands came up to run down her back but she grabbed his wrists and pushed them away.   
“Nope, not how this is working tonight,” she said and she felt his excitement grow as she took control.  
Tossing his shirt away, she grabbed the tie she had removed and held his wrists above his head before attaching them to the headboard with the fabric. His eyes were opened wide in excitement as she began to kiss down his body. She removed his belt and undid his pants, taking them off along with his boxers; he struggled against her as she kissed every inch of skin she could, knowing it was driving him crazy that she was still clothed and that he couldn’t touch her. Smiling at him, she slid back up his body, kissing him passionately, her tongue sliding over his as he groaned into her mouth. She finally pulled away, slowly removing her dress over her head then taking her time removing her bra and knickers as well. When she was as undressed as him, she straddled him once more, kissing him, and spent the remainder of the night showing him how much she enjoyed being in control.


	28. Chapter 28

Hours later, Jaime was still on Clint’s bed, drifting in and out of sleep as nightmares began plaguing her of watching her boyfriend’s mind being completely taken over. She had just calmed herself down enough from one and was beginning to fall back asleep when she felt someone slip onto the bed behind her and two arms came around her, drawing her against a firm chest. Instantly, Jaime knew this was not Clint and she turned to find herself face to face with Tony. She sat up instantly,  
“Tony?! What are you doing here?”  
“I heard you screaming and wanted to make sure you weren’t dying. Also, I wanted to update you; your boy toy is still recovering but he should be fine by morning.”  
Jaime laid back down, trying to remain calm,  
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know.”  
Tony put his arms back around her, attempting to stop her trembling; he could tell the whole experience was traumatizing for her. It reminded him of the way he felt after the New York incident. Trying to keep her mind off things, he asked,  
“So what were you screaming about? If you were dreaming about me, I totally understand. Don’t worry. I promise not to tell Clint you have sex dreams about me.”  
Jaime smacked him on the chest, smiling a bit.  
“No, I was having a nightmare about Clint. It was scary seeing him under the influence of that thing.”  
“I know, I know. But, I promise he will be okay. He will. I just checked on him and he is looking better already. I mean, he gave me a dirty look so I know he is already getting back to his old self.”  
Jaime shook her head again; this man was impossible. She finally relaxed a little and leaned her head into Tony’s chest, glad to have a friend to comfort her.  
“You really think he’ll be okay?”  
“I know he will. He will be back to his usual self by morning, I guarantee.”  
Jaime nodded her head as Tony continued,  
“Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”  
“No, I’ll be okay. I think I just need rest. But thank you.”  
“You’re welcome. Now, I will leave you to get some more sleep. I am staying here tonight and will be close if you need me.”  
He kissed her on the forehead and got off the bed. Once he was gone, Jaime stripped out of her clothes and crawled beneath the covers, inhaling the lingering scent of her boyfriend. Despite Tony’s confidence, she was still scared about Clint and cried herself to sleep, wanting morning to get there as fast as possible.  
In the early hours of dawn, Jaime awoke to a warm body sliding in next to her; she recognized the scent and sensation in an instant. Rolling over, she wrapped her arms around Clint, kissing him desperately, so glad to feel him there with her. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she finally released his lips and buried her face in his neck,  
“I’m so glad you’re okay! You are okay, aren’t you?”  
“Yes, love, I’m fine. I promise. A bit of a headache but no worse for wear.”  
He finally got her to look at him, wiping the tears away and kissing her again.   
“Are you okay?” he asked, “I heard about what you did. You truly are amazing.”  
“I’m fine. It was terrifying, I admit, but I was more worried about you.”  
“I am okay now. I promise,” he said, kissing her forehead, “Hey, I also heard Amelia was a bit of a badass as well.”  
“She really was.”   
“Where is she now?”  
“Well, I am not sure but I assume with Coulson. He was looking at her like he wanted to jump her bones when I left to come in here.”  
“Images I did not need,” Clint said, shuddering, but quickly recovering as he began kissing down Jaime’s neck and running his hands down her body, “speaking of wanting to jump someone’s bones, I could sure use a shower and would not be objecting to you joining me, worker bee.”  
Jaime sighed as Clint’s hands worked their way up to her chest and he took her earlobe in between his teeth, playing with it. Nodding her head in agreement, Clint led her through the door of the bathroom in his room, leaning over to turn the water on before kissing her passionately. Climbing in together, Clint grabbed the soap, working up a lather on his hands before running them over his girlfriend, while he leaned in, sucking on her neck and leaving a dark mark just above her collarbone. She grabbed the soap and began washing him as well, capturing his mouth and slipping her tongue past his lips to explore his mouth. The bathing was soon forgotten as Clint’s arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her as her legs wrapped around him and he demonstrated to her just how much sexy he found her, both in the shower and then later, repeatedly, in his bed.


	29. Chapter 29

A few weeks later, everyone was at Stark Tower for an epic New Year’s Eve party. Everyone was dressed to the nines and booze was flowing in abundance. Music was playing as Jaime and Amelia looked around, taking it all in. Both girls were happier than they had ever been; Jaime was officially an agent and being trained to be one of the main pilots at the agency. Amelia had also been offered a position after the way she took control on the day of the Tesseract incident, a position she gladly accepted. Life was looking up for both girls and they were happy in their relationships. At the moment, Clint was off dancing with Thor’s girlfriend, Jane, and Thor decided to steal a dance with Jaime in return, leaving Amelia and Coulson, sipping on their drinks, watching the crowd around them. Glancing over, they saw Tony flirting with his assistant, Pepper Potts,  
“You know,” Amelia began, “they would make an adorable couple.”  
“They actually would,” Phil agreed, “Maybe we should get Barton and Juniper to set them up.”  
Amelia smiled, leaning up to kiss her boyfriend,  
“Well, they did a good job with us,” she said.  
“They did,” he replied, leaning down to kiss her again before taking her hand and leading her away, “Come on, there’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”  
He led her down the hallway to one of the many rooms Tony had in the tower. Quickly locking the door, he pressed Amelia against it, kissing her eagerly before lifting her up and placing her on the bed. In moments, he had removed both of their clothes, kissing and making love to his girlfriend in the guest bedroom of Stark Tower.   
Back at the party, people continued to mingle and Clint had rejoined Jaime, bringing her another drink. They were just finishing them when the song The Way You Look Tonight began to play and Clint grabbed his girlfriend’s hand, leading her to the floor. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, leaning in to sing the words in her ear as she leaned her head on his shoulder and they swayed to the music. After awhile, Clint pulled back a bit, leaning back and placing his forehead against hers as she smiled,  
“Worker bee,” he sighed, “I love you so much.”  
“I love you too, Robin Hood. I don’t know what I would do without you.”  
“When did you first know you loved me?”  
“I think I first knew it when you kissed me on top of the Empire State Building. You were so adorably cheesy and romantic but I knew I couldn’t live without you.”  
He laughed and gave her a quick kiss before spinning her around then bringing her back into his chest.  
“When did you first fall in love with me?” she asked.  
He paused a second before pulling back to look her in the eyes, finally answering,  
“The moment you said, ‘My name is Jaime Juniper,’”  
She blushed and smiled, a tear coming to her eye, as around them people started counting down to midnight. At the count of zero, she leaned up and kissed Clint, a deep kiss expressing her love. As they parted, he smiled at her, leaning down to kiss her again when Tony walked by,   
“Bite her ear,” he said to Clint, snarkily, “she likes that.”  
Clint made a move towards Tony as he jumped out of reach, but Jaime grabbed her boyfriend, pulling him back to her and kissing him again as fireworks continued going off outside.


End file.
